In Your Dreams
by Magnus The Wolf
Summary: Shalimar's battling dreams, and more, about Emma and trying to figure out what to do about them. Yet more slash and het pairings.
1. Hot Tub Love

_Relation to other stories: Stand alone._

_Disclaimer: Characters aren't owned by me, just appearing in my story featuring the characters of Mutant X._

**In Your Dreams**

Shalimar smiled as she watched the psionic slowly slide her naked body into the hot tub beside her. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt the water suddenly heat up at her entrance. Emma let her body slowly slide down next to the ferals as her skin brushed over every inch of Shalimar's. Shalimar grinned up at the psionic as her smooth thigh brushed its way down across her own igniting a spark of desire inside the ferals belly. As Emma sunk herself down to the seat she moved her hips until she was sitting as close to the feral as she could. Shalimar held her breath and hoped the psionic didn't notice her trembling at her touch.

"This is perfect, isn't it?" Emma asked as she hung her head back in relaxation.

"Uh hmmm," Shalimar answered in a slight moan. She never wanted to move from the psionics company or unbelievable touch. She felt her eyelids beginning to close but quickly reopened them as she felt Emma's fingers beginning to walk their way up her calves. She smiled to alert the psionic she offered no protest. Soon enough, Shalimar felt her fingers slowly tracing the length of her thighs as the psionic grinned wildly at her.

Shalimar let her body go limp as she sunk further down into the bubbling water around her. She was so turned on she couldn't tell where her wetness ended and the tubs began. Her eyes widened as the psionic suddenly stood up in front of her as if to offer her that beautiful temple of a body. Shalimar took in the sight of the goddess before her as the water glistened off her perfect, curvaceous body.

Emma smiled at seeing Shalimar's insatiable lust for her. She braced her hands on the ferals shoulders and slowly wiggled herself atop the feral. Emma spread Shalimar's thighs with her own before bracing both of hers aside the ferals. She could feel the heat Shalimar was generating despite the warmth of the hot tub around them. She would've sworn the temperature in the water had just shot up a hundred degrees at their intimate touching.

Despite being in front of the massage jets, Shalimar was finding it increasing difficult to relax with the psionic grinding herself atop her lap.

"You like that?" Emma asked in a low voice as she starred seductively at the feral beneath her.

"Oh yeah," Shalimar replied. She opened her mouth to allow for some air to enter her lungs as her breathing was steadily increasing with every fiery touch. She wrapped her arms around the psionics hips to pull her in as close as she could. She smiled as she felt the dampness of the water on her soft breasts as Emma pressed them against her own hardened nipples. Emma brought her lips down to trace the length of Shalimar's mouth in slow, teasing brushes. Shalimar's spine tingled as she felt the soft breath of the psionic entering her very own mouth. She trembled with desire as Emma slowly began to rub her breasts against her own rock hard buds.

Shalimar let her lips explore Emma's perfect face as she placed delicate kisses across the smooth skin of her cheeks and jaw line. Emma took Shalimar's face in her hands and brought their lips together in a kiss that made Shalimar thank God she was sitting for her knees would've gone out on her completely. Emma smiled as she ended their kiss to stare the feral deep in the eyes. Shalimar smiled as she looked the psionic over as her legs throbbed at the thought of that beautiful face between her thighs.

Shalimar felt the psionics mouth return to her again for more kisses that left her dizzy and tingling. She thought she heard a noise coming from behind but quickly pushed the thought out of her consciousness as she was too enraptured by Emma's kisses to care.

"Hey," Emma said softly as she pulled her face from the ferals. "I think someone's at the door." Emma traced her finger down the ferals jaw line and pushed her forehead to hers.

"I don't care," Shalimar said as she began kissing the psionic once more with more passion.

Shalimar heard the distant bangs on the door behind them and ignored them favoring kissing the sweet psionics beautiful skin. She kissed and licked the glistening water drops that ran down Emma's perfectly smooth skin. Shalimar closed her eyes at the sensations of being so close to Emma provided her mind and body with. She heard the distant pounds seeming to pull her away from her task. Shalimar groaned with annoyance and pulled her head back to look at the door. She turned herself back around only to find Emma had disappeared. Confusion and panic quickly spread across her face.

"Emma? Emma where are you?"

The pounding at the door made her jump and she turned to see herself lying in her bed, sweating. Shalimar took a deep breath and placed a hand over her heart to feel its fierce beating. She felt the sweat running down her thigh before dripping down to her already wet sheets. Shalimar pushed the twisted sheets off her sweaty body and headed over to the door to open it. She was shocked to see Emma standing before her in her slip.

"Shal, you ok? I heard you screaming."

"Screaming?"

"Yeah. Is something wrong?"

Shalimar looked the psionic up and down and tried not to imagine what she must look like under the white, virginal garment. It looked to be silk and Shalimar contemplated if it was as soft as the psionics skin as she held back the urge to run her hands the length of her body.

"Are you ok?" the psionic reiterated at Shalimar's silence.

"Oh, yeah," Shalimar answered as she brought her hand up to her head. "I was just dreaming." Shalimar turned and made her way across the floor to sit on her bed. She looked back to notice Emma had followed her into her room.

"Oh. About what?"

"Um," Shalimar paused and swallowed hard as if to try and dislodge the nervousness in her throat. She looked to Emma and hopped she didn't notice the sexual tension surrounding her like perfume. "I don't remember."

Shalimar knew damn well what she'd been dreaming about. The same thing she'd been dreaming about for the past month. Emma and nothing else. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the psionic and felt herself tortured again by all the things she wished she could do in real life.

"Well, is there anything I can do to help you feel better?" Emma asked as she looked down to Shalimar with concern filled eyes.

"No, thanks. I'll be fine."

"Well, if you need anything, you know I'm always here for you, Shal."

"Thanks." Shalimar smiled and stood from the bed to hug the psionic. She ran her hands down the smooth slip on her back and felt her hunger growing anew. "It's nothing a cold shower can't fix." Shalimar smiled as their embraced was ended. "Thanks again."

"Anytime. See ya later. Goodnight."

Emma smiled and turned to leave. Shalimar caught herself staring at the psionics form as she exited the room.

"Yep, that's what dreams are made of," Shalimar said as she headed into the bathroom and closed the door.


	2. The Flower In My Garden

"It's so beautiful," Emma said as she walked hand in hand with Shalimar through the large garden.

"Yes, you are," the feral answered without taking her eyes off the psionic by her side.

Emma laughed as she blushed and turned to look downward. Shalimar brought her hand up to turn the psionics face back towards her.

"It's beautiful because you make it that way. You make everything so beautiful."

Shalimar felt like she was surrounded by some warm light as she continued walking down the dirt path with Emma. She almost felt like there was some unknown, beautiful, peaceful mist that surrounded them making it seem almost perfect. Emma stopped as they approached a beautiful batch of tulips and turned to examine them.

"They're coming in so full and colorful," she said as she gently wrapped her hand around the flower to smell it. Shalimar listened and noticed something seemed strange about the way Emma's voice was sounding as she spoke.

"They've reached their full potential now," the psionic said as she turned back to face the feral. She brought her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright sun that cast down on them from above. "You know why? Because they're not afraid of the sun. Not afraid to let themselves shine in the light." Emma returned to Shalimar's side once again with the flower in hand. "They make themselves vulnerable but in the end it only makes them stronger and more beautiful. And only then can they live their life the way they're meant to." Emma smiled and held the ferals hand tighter. She bent down to pick one of the long stem roses beside them and handed it to Shalimar. Shalimar took it and felt the smoothness around the stem and was thankful there were no thorns.

Shalimar smiled at the psionic as she held the flower close to her body. She leaned closer to place a kiss on her lips but stopped as slight pain alerted her hand of its presence. She pulled back and opened her palm to see blood dripping from cuts made by the thorns sticking into her skin.

"Ow!" Shalimar yelled and dropped the flower to the psionics feet. "What the hell was that?"

Emma shrugged slightly and offered no real answer only further angering the feral. Shalimar shook her hand to watch the small drops of blood splatter to the ground at their feet. Shalimar turned back to Emma but before she could say anything heard a loud noise shatter her concentration. Shalimar turned her head up to the clear, blue sky searching for an answer.

"What's that noise?" she asked Emma as the annoying screeching became louder and louder.

"It means it's time to wake up," Emma answered.

"What?"

"Wake up, Shal. Wake up."

Shalimar turned abruptly in her bed as felt herself pulled back into the harsh reality of her bedroom. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes and moaned as the first bit of light intruded through her eye lids. She looked up to see Emma standing over her beside her bed.

"Your alarm was ringing for like a minute before I came in here. I guess you slept soundly," the psionic said.

Shalimar sat up in her bed and looked the psionic over. She noticed she wasn't wearing her nightgown like last night but had gotten herself dressed. She now stood before the feral wearing tight black, leather pants and a black tank top.

"Not exactly," she finally answered.

"Another bad dream?"

"You might say that."

Shalimar turned her head from side to side to get the cracks out of her neck and wiggled her tense body to do the same for the rest of her joints.

"Wow," Emma said at hearing the loud sounds Shalimar produced. "You're pretty tense."

"I haven't been sleeping too well lately."

"If you want I can give you a massage. Might help ease the tension."

Shalimar knew that would only add to the tension she was feeling, both inside and out. Every time Emma gave her any kind of message she'd relax at first and then always be so worked up afterwards she couldn't stand it.

"I'm not sure that's what I need right now. Maybe some other time."

"Well, I'll let you get dressed. I'm making breakfast, I hope you'll join me when you're done."

"Count me in."

Shalimar smiled over at Emma and watched as she turned to leave.

"Emma," Shalimar called. Emma stopped in the doorway and looked back at the feral with a sweet smile. "You did come in here last night, right?"

Emma smiled and twitched her head seeming somewhat confused by the ferals question.

"Yeah, around three a.m. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I was just ya know, dreaming all night and had to make sure."

"Oh. Well, I'll see ya at breakfast."

Emma smiled a goodbye at the feral before disappearing from the doorway leaving Shalimar alone with her raging lust. She hoped Emma didn't pick up on any of the feeling spiraling out of control inside her. She stood from her bed and headed over the dresser to begin searching for an outfit. She reached in and pulled out a pair or light blue jeans and a white shirt. She closed the door to her room and began to dress herself as she tried to calm her racing nerves.


	3. Alone Time

Shalimar sighed and massaged the back of her neck as she made her way through Sanctuary's halls towards the kitchen. She smelled the bacon and eggs the entire way there and felt her stomach growl at the anticipation of eating something. She entered the room and was greeted by a smile from Emma standing at the stove cooking.

"Hey, good morning," the psionic said with a smile over to Shalimar.

Shalimar smiled back and sat herself down at the table trying to act as normal as she could.

"Good morning," Shalimar answered. She looked up to see Emma preparing two plates of food. She heard the popping sound of the toaster as it shot the bread back up and Emma removed it.

"Looks like you've cooked up quite a meal here."

"Yeah I hope you're hungry."

"I am," Shalimar answered and shifted with uneasiness in her seat. "But I don't feel so good. Maybe I'll just have a little."

Shalimar looked over to see Emma in her little apron looking as cute as could be. She began to feel a sense of family love that she'd never experienced before as she sat while the psionic brought her a cup of juice. Emma stood beside Shalimar and smiled down at her as the feral took a drink.

"Come on, Shal. Don't pretend you're not horny. I know you want me."

Shalimar's eyes widened at the psionics startling words as she nearly choked on her juice. She brought the cup down to the table and turned her eyes to Emma beside her.

"What?" The tone in the ferals voice sounded demanding as she looked to a somewhat confused Emma.

"I said don't pretend you're not hungry, Shal. I know you want some."

"Oh," Shalimar said softly and somewhat relieved. "Uh, sure. Thanks."

Emma smiled and headed over to the counter to bring a prepared plate to Shalimar and sat beside her with her own breakfast.

"So where are the guys?" Shalimar asked as she tried to break the tension she was now feeling. She lifted her fork to eat the breakfast the psionic had prepared for her.

"They left just before you woke up to go on a mission. I told them you hadn't been sleeping too well so they decided not to bother you. They should be back this evening so I guess you're stuck with me." Emma smiled at the feral who tried her best not to blush at the thought.

"Aw," Shalimar groaned trying to sound disappointed. She wasn't sure herself whether it was actually a good thing or not. She always loved being alone with Emma more than anything but wasn't sure if she was quite ready to handle it with all the recent flood of emotions through her heart.

Emma laughed off the ferals gesture and her curiosity peeked at seeing the look on the ferals face.

"Something on your mind?" she asked among bites of her breakfast.

"Just ya know, stuff. I haven't been sleeping too good and I think it all takes its toll."

"You wanna lay it on me?"

Shalimar's interest sparked at hearing the words come from the psionics mouth but knew she couldn't explain it all to her. She wasn't really sure how to even explain it all to herself yet. She knew she wanted the psionic but couldn't grasp what was going on in her mind to come to terms with everything else she was feeling.

"It's actually really complicated."

"Well, I'd really like to help you-"

"Yeah I said I didn't wanna talk about can we just drop it please?"

"Ok," Emma said slowly and somewhat defensively. "Didn't mean to pry."

"Then don't."

Shalimar could tell she'd offended and put off the psionic at speaking so harshly towards her. She thought Emma knew better than to try and convince her to share her feelings when she didn't want to.

After a few moments in the unbreaking silence, Emma finally spoke.

"I was gonna go through my wardrobe today and get rid of some old clothes and clothes that don't fit anymore. You wanna help me? Ya know, tell me what looks good and what I will never get a date in if I continue to wear it?"

"I don't know," Shalimar answered without removing her gaze from her plate.

"Ok. Well, we can do something else. Maybe a movie or something? Take advantage of a nice quiet day."

"You mean you wanna go out to a movie?"

"No, actually Adam asked us to stay here in case he needs us. And, I'd much prefer a quiet day of rest here."

"Yeah, me too."

Emma stood to her feet as she finished her breakfast. She looked down to Shalimar's nearly cleared plate.

"You done?"

"Yeah," the feral replied. "Thanks." Shalimar smiled as Emma took the plate from in front of her allowing their hands to brush against each other. Shalimar hoped she didn't tremble too much as the psionic headed into the kitchen behind her. She always loved every little touch she could get from her. She stood up and pushed the chair in after her.

"So wanna come watch a movie with me in my room?" Emma asked as she began to load up the dishwasher.

"Sounds like a plan," Shalimar answered and followed the psionic to her bedroom. She couldn't help admiring the woman's perfect curves as she walked behind her. Even if she wanted to she couldn't peel her eyes away from sexy way she shook her hip at just the right time when she walked. She admired her through her leather pants and felt her heart race with thoughts of how she'd look at that angle without any clothing to cover up her perfection. She'd seen her naked a few times before but never really got to examine her as much as she desperately wanted to.

When they reached Emma's room, she headed over to her dresser to look through her DVDs on the rack.

"So what do you wanna watch?"

"I don't know, what haven't we seen?"

"I have a few here I still haven't gotten around to watching. I'm up for whatever you are."

Shalimar plopped herself down on the bed on her stomach and braced herself on her elbows to look at the psionic a few feet from her.

"Whatever looks good is fine with me."

"Hmmm, how about," Shalimar said as she let her eyes scan the DVDs. "The Rundown?"

"I just watched that with Brennan the other day. What about Love, Actually? I still haven't sat through that one."

"Um, what else is there?"

"Fifty First Dates?"

"Isn't there anything with more um, action? What about that, Resident Evil: Apocalypse? Hot chicks and explosives. Can't go wrong there."

"I kinda told the guys I'd watch it with them. You can watch it with us when they get back."

"Oh. Ok."

"So I guess that only leaves a romantic date."

"What?"

Emma lifted the DVD case to Shalimar's view before slipping it into the DVD player.

"Oh. I guess so. Oh, wait," Shalimar said as she jumped to her feet. "Can't watch a movie without drinks. I'll be right back."

Shalimar headed out of the room and soon returned with two bottled sodas. She looked to Emma who had already made herself comfortable in the bed and turned the sheets down for Shalimar to slid in. Shalimar made her way over to the bed and slipped comfortably inside next to the psionic. She reached down to pull the covers slightly higher against her body.

"Here we go," she said as she handed one of the bottles to Emma.

"Thanks."

Emma took a sip from her drink and set it down on her nightstand. She gently kicked the sheets up a little to allow for more room and cuddled herself closer to Shalimar to rest her head on her shoulder. She slowly slid her hand down the sheets to take Shalimar's within her own. She looked back to the feral and smiled as she interlocked their fingers.

"What are you doing?" Shalimar asked softly hoping she didn't make it sound like she was uncomfortable when truthfully she couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked as she tilted her head to peer into the ferals inquisitive, brown eyes. "We always cuddle like this. Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, I didn't mean…," Shalimar let herself trail off. "It's nice." She smiled back at the psionic and let her head rest against her own as the movie began.


	4. Tease For Two

"This is a nice outfit isn't it?" Emma asked as she examined herself in the mirror. She turned slightly from side to side to allow for better views of the small, black, leather dress that almost looked to be a bit too tight.

"It's great," Shalimar replied as she starred at the woman in front of her almost mesmerized by her intense beauty.

"You'd like anything I'd wear wouldn't you?"

"Well, yeah," Shalimar answered with a hungry smile. "That one shows off all your uh, assets really good."

"I think what I have on under it does an even better job."

Emma smiled and reached up to the straps that held her dress to her shoulders and slower pulled one off. She looked to Shalimar who only grinned at the sexy gesture and turned her attention to the other strap to pull it down as well. She flipped her head back allowing her long, red hair to fall across the perfect dips in her back in a waterfall of beauty. She looked up to Shalimar once more with a seductive look upon her face. She slowly began to turn the dress downwards across her chest and stopped just before reaching her nipples which were already making themselves known through the tight leather.

Shalimar watched as the psionic ran her hands slowly up and down her body, pausing at all the best spots. She gazed with lustful eyes as she noticed the psionic seemed to admire her own body as much as she did. Emma let her fingers linger on the leather above her chest and turned to Shalimar with a grin.

"You wanna help me with this?"

Emma grinned over to Shalimar sitting on the bed and smiled at how quickly she reached her side at the question. She stood in front of the psionic and watched as she slowly ran her hands up and down the length of her chest as she examined herself. She felt her mouth beginning to water as she watched the psionics fingers trail down the path of her body making Shalimar's tongue wish it could embark upon the same route.

Shalimar reached out to place her hands on the top of Emma's dress which now rested in the middle of her chest. Shalimar gripped the leather fabric between her fingers and slowly began to pull it down to reveal more of the beauty's skin before her. Shalimar felt the burn on her hands as her skin rubbed its way against the psionics warm flesh. When Shalimar had pulled the dress down to her hips she felt Emma slowly begin to wiggle her body to assist the garment off herself. Shalimar felt herself drowning in her own desire at watching the psionics sexy movements as the dress slowly slid itself off her wiggling hips. When the dress hit the floor Shalimar instantly reached out to place her hands on the hips of the psionic standing before her in her black under garments.

"Uh-uh," Emma corrected the feral. She slid her hands down her sides and down Shalimar's arms to rest on her hands. She slipped her fingers between the ferals and slowly removed her hands from her body.

"Wha-"

As Shalimar attempted to speak she quickly found Emma's finger pressed to her lips to prevent another word from escaping.

"You're not meant to touch…yet," Emma informed her and gently pushed her back down to sit on the bed.

Shalimar's confusion was quickly replaced with lust as she watched Emma turn around and bend slowly down to the floor to run her hands up her body as she stood straight up again. Emma raised her left leg to cross over her other thigh and let it dangle before kicking her heel off in the ferals direction. She raised her other leg to perform the same task and soon began running her hands across her thighs and up to her smooth stomach. Shalimar felt herself growing increasing turned on with every slight move the psionic made. She could never believe how much power she had over her. How with just one small gesture she could make her feel so many things. She could make her do so many things. Shalimar watched and knew Emma was making it clear who the one in charge here was.

Shalimar could feel herself beginning to sweat at watching the curves of the psionic take over her desires. She swallowed hard as Emma slowly walked over to stand not more than half an inch from her. Emma swung her leg up to rest her foot on the bed at Shalimar's waist. Shalimar caught her breath and wondered if Emma actually heard her heart skip its beat as the loud thud slammed against her chest. Emma began to swirl her hips as the skin of her thighs just barely brushed against Shalimar's legs beneath. Despite the denim that blocked their touching, Shalimar felt her leg tremble and sweat at Emma's touch above her.

Emma moved her chest forward and leaned in to brush her lips along the length of Shalimar's face. Shalimar moved her lips towards Emma's but found her pulling back before she could kiss her. She reached out to wrap her hands around the psionics hips once more but Emma's own hands were there to stop her as soon as she made the contact. Emma held the ferals hands and looked into her eyes to see the longing that rested there.

"I told you…hands off," Emma whispered in the ferals ear.

The sexy way the psionic whispered only made the feral want to reach out and grab her even more.

Emma slowly let herself slid on top of the ferals lap and rested her hands on her shoulders. She pushed the feral backwards until Shalimar found herself lying underneath the straddling psionic. Emma held her hips up just enough so they barely rested themselves on Shalimar's, sparking her need and lust further. Emma grinned down at Shalimar upon feeling her racing pulse beneath her palms. She removed her hands from the ferals shoulders and reached behind her back to unhook her black bra. She seemed to take forever with the task and only drove the feral into more of a frenzy as she waited in anticipation. She couldn't think of anything she wanted more than to run her hands up the psionics body and cup her glorious breasts. To feel her nipples harden under her soft touch and listen to the sounds of a psionic in pleasure.

As Shalimar's impatience grew she reached down to the psionics teasing underwear and began to tug at it. Emma quickly reached back to remove the ferals wandering hands. She pushed both her arms out to the sides and held them away from her body. She raised her eyes down to a grinning Shalimar.

"That's not yours," Emma reminded her.

Shalimar looked up to see Emma's undone bra hanging from her body and lifted her head to catch her teeth on the garment. She attempted to pull it down but before she could see what lie beneath she found herself staring straight at Emma standing by her dresser.

"Oh, you're up," Emma said and smiled over at the feral.

"What?"

Confusion rang in Shalimar's voice as she watched the psionic seeming to clean her room.

"You fell asleep after the movie ended."

"Oh."

"You started panting a little bit there. You ok?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Shalimar mumbled.

"What?"

"Um, yeah. Thanks."

Shalimar watched as Emma straightened her dresser. When she finished she bent down to tie up the trash bag and Shalimar found it impossible to direct her eyes anywhere else except the psionics perfect form before her. As Emma turned around, Shalimar pretended to yarn so it wouldn't be as obvious where she'd been looking. She wasn't sure why since her and Emma checked each other out without trying to hide it all the time. Shalimar shook it off and sat up in the bed. She braced the pillow against the wall and rested her back to it.

"So what do you wanna do, sleepyhead?" Emma asked as she returned to the room from the hall. She plopped herself down on the bed beside the feral and smiled anxiously awaiting her reply.

"Um, I don't know. Whatever you want."

"We could watch another movie?"

"Hhmmm…I don't know. You want romance and I want action. We might as well watch a porno."

Both girls giggled at Shalimar's suggestion.

"Well, we'd have to go in Brennan's room for that," Emma reminded.

"So what else does that leave us with?"

"I still wanna go through these clothes. I have like five bikinis but I think I can get rid of one or two of 'em."

Shalimar felt herself tense up at the mention of Emma's bikinis. She began to see all images of Emma in those cute little bikinis she always wore. She wasn't sure if she could handle being put through something like that at a time like this. Especially not after her dreams had already stirred more desire in her than ever before.

"Um, can't we just play cards or something?"

"Ok," Emma sighed, "but I'm running out of closet space here."

Emma turned to reach into the nightstand behind her. Shalimar's eyes lit up as she saw the small pair of black underwear that was inside. Emma removed the pack of playing cards and lay back on her side next to the feral. Emma grinned up at Shalimar and stuck her tongue out to tease her further.

"Strip poker?" she asked a wide grin.

"I…don't know if I'm up for that right now…," Shalimar said though she knew she couldn't possibly say no to that game.

"Come on," Emma pleaded. "I'll make you whatever you want for lunch and dinner if you win."

"And what if you win?"

"Hhhmmm…you help me clean out my closet to the last outfit."

"Ok. And to make it more interesting, the winner also gets to pick something else that the loser has to do." Shalimar grinned at the psionic and was pleased to see her only flash the same sexy grin back at her.

"Ok. Let the games begin."

_A/N: Sorry to put this at the bottom of a chapter I know it's really annoying when people do this… :P  
__Gelf- "another cliffhanger"-that was a cliffhanger?  
__Billy rose- "they should have watched apocalypse, but just the reference made my day:D" – yeah I love that one. I referenced two of her movies (of the 4 I mentioned) in that chapter cuz I like her a lot hehe :)_


	5. Poker, Psionics, and Ferals, Oh My!

"You gonna take me?"

"What?" Shalimar asked as she looked to the nearly naked psionic sitting across from her in her bra and underwear.

"I said you gonna take a card?"

"Oh, no."

"So what's your call?" Emma asked as she shifted herself on the bed to allow for more comfort.

Shalimar licked her lips as she caught the slight jiggle in her breasts when she settled herself back down. She'd hardly been able to concentrate on her cards with Emma so close to her, especially since she was sprawled across the bed like a supermodel.

Shalimar looked down to remind herself of her current stance in the game. She sat on the bed in nothing but her black bra and that seemed to be a size too small and her tiny, black thong.

"I think I better fold out," she finally said with a forced smile as she placed her cards face down on the bed.

"Come on, Shal, I thought we agreed no folding out."

Emma flashed her a knowing grin and gestured her eyes to the cards below.

"Well…,"

"So when the going gets tough the ferals cave huh?"

"No, that's not it."

"I think it is. Come on I thought you were a mighty feral not a chicken," Emma implored her.

"Chicken? You calling me a chicken?"

"Yeah, that's right," the psionic teased as she sat upright. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Emma reached over to try and get a peek at Shalimar's cards but the feral quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her. Emma brought her other hand over but soon found it too was stopped by Shalimar. Shalimar glared down into the psionics playful eyes as she held her wrists gently between her hands. Emma lunged herself forward in a giggle as she attempted to reach the cards but Shalimar's quick reflexes allowed her to pounce on top of the psionic as she held her down on the bed.

The two looked like something out of a soft core porno filmed at the Playboy Mansion as they wrestled on the bed. Emma managed to escape the ferals clutches and ducked underneath her to dive onto the cards she'd been protecting. Shalimar quickly turned herself around to throw her body across the back of the psionic who was now grinning at her losing hand. Shalimar sighed in defeat and eased herself back off the psionic to allow her to shift herself onto her back.

"Now I see why you were such a chicken," Emma said as she laughed and dropped the cards to the floor.

"Yeah, yeah," Shalimar said as she looked down to Emma beneath her. She felt flushed as their bodies touched and didn't realize she'd pinned Emma to the bed pretty good. She felt her arousal growing inside her and knew if Emma didn't do something soon it would mean trouble for the both of them.

Emma looked up at Shalimar and tried to move her shoulders which were cornered by Shalimar's hands.

"Um, Shal, a little uncomfortable here," Emma said as she twitched in her half sideways half back position.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry."

Shalimar backed up and sat back down on the bed to allow Emma to lift herself to a sitting position once more. Emma smiled a thank you at Shalimar and began to fix her slightly out of place top. Shalimar salivated at watching her fondle with her bra and run her fingers across the sexy garment. She watched the psionic like a cat watching a bird as she adjusted the underwear Shalimar had altered upon tackling her. She shivered at the tingles that crept themselves across her almost bare body. It never ceased to amaze her all the feelings the psionic could stir deep inside her. Feelings she never knew she had. Feelings she never would've thought could exist if she wasn't experiencing them for herself.

Just looking at the psionic play with her bra made her wet. She wondered if she was right for ignoring the obvious sexual energy between them. Energy she knew they could use to create something beautiful if given the proper chance.

Shalimar hoped Emma didn't notice her nipples becoming harder as she perspired at watching her. As Emma finished fixing herself up she turned her gaze back to Shalimar with a wide grin across her face.

"What?" Shalimar asked at the mischievous look the psionic wore.

"You know," Emma began as she failed to hold back the smile she was feeling. "You did lose."

"So?"

"So…you know the rules."

Under normal circumstances Shalimar would gladly remove a piece of her clothing but being as how turned on she was, and how obvious it would be to Emma, she wondered if now was the proper time to be disclosing everything to her. Especially after the talks they'd recently had.

"You mean…," Shalimar trailed off as she wanted to hear Emma ask for it herself.

"Off with those clothes."

"But, were done. I mean, the game's over. You won."

"No. You only need to remove one thing. You'll still have something on."

Emma smiled in anticipation over to the feral.

"You won't be satisfied 'til I'm wearin' nothin' but a smile, will ya?"

Emma laughed and bit her bottom lip as she starred at the feral.

"Nope. Now let's go. Strip."

Shalimar sighed and reached around her back to grab her bra hooks within her fingers.

"Do you want me to put the heat on a little more?" Emma asked as Shalimar fumbled with the garment.

"If you want."

Shalimar knew she wasn't the least bit cold. She found herself fumbling over the hooks as Emma stood to make her way to the wall to adjust the temperature. She watched the psionic stand on her tip toes to allow her to reach it and admired the way her butt would move under the black silk. What a work of art she was.

When Emma returned to the bed she smiled at seeing a now topless Shalimar shuffling the cards once again.

"And we would be tied if I hadn't worn these underwear today," Emma said with a smile as she sat herself back onto the bed only to be closer to the feral than before

"Why did you wear them?"

"Those pants itch a little."

Shalimar shook her head and began to deal the cards.

"Guess that's not a problem anymore."

Emma laughed and looked at the pile of cards in front of her.

"You sure you wanna keep playing. I mean we can stop now."

"Oh, after you get to see the goods huh? I'm not gonna be the only Lady Godiva here, sweetie."

"Well you aren't yet but if you keep playing like you have been you soon will be."

Shalimar raised her eyebrows at Emma and lay herself down on her side across from the now sprawled out psionic now less than a foot from her own body. She held her cards and tried desperately to keep her eyes off Emma's glorious cleavage that rest itself half a foot in front of her on a slope that only heightened her perfection. She'd sneak a peek in every so often and wondered if the psionic could sense what it was doing to her.

As Shalimar was rearranging her cards she caught herself in another cleavage peek at Emma. When her eyes trailed back upwards she noticed the psionic was staring right at her and smiling.

"They're not bad huh?" Emma asked as she looked down at herself.

"They're beautiful," Shalimar replied.

"Really?"

"You know I think you're beautiful, Emma."

"Thank you."

Emma smiled back and for the first time Shalimar noticed she had inched herself even closer to her anxious body. She felt her lips becoming warmer as the psionics breath blew itself across them. She shifted her eyes once more so that they collided with Emma's own. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion for her as their faces drew themselves closer and closer to each other. She felt dizzy and delirious and wasn't sure if it was her or Emma that was moving, or if maybe it was both of them. The only thought on her mind was kissing the psionics soft, moist lips and feeling them all over her own.

As Shalimar felt the ragged breath of the psionic push its way into her mouth she suddenly felt like all her dreams were within reach. A second later she felt the slightest bit of Emma's lip touch her bottom one and before she could even enjoy it, felt her quickly pulling away as Adam's voice interrupted their silence. Shalimar drew in a quick breath at the startlement.

"Emma, you there?" Adam asked over the comlink that was on the floor where Emma had left it.

"Yea, Adam, I'm here. What's up?"

Emma reached down to the floor to remove the link from underneath her shirt where she wasn't even aware it had fallen to.

"I need you to go to the lab and check up on some things for me."

"Oh, sure," Emma replied and stood to her feet. She pulled her pants back on and Shalimar couldn't remember ever feeling so disappointed.

"Is Shalimar awake?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Adam," the feral answered.

"Good. I could use your help as well."

"Yeah," Shalimar said as she tried not to sound so let down at her response.

"Why don't you girls get to the lab and I'll instruct you from there."

"We're on our way, Adam," Emma informed as she pulled her top back over her head.

Shalimar sighed and slid herself off the bed to begin dressing herself as well.


	6. Sick Ferals And Sun Kissed Psionics

"Is that all you needed, Adam?" Emma asked as she stood over the computer screen in the lab.

"Yeah, thanks a lot," Adam answered over the link.

"Anytime. So when are you guys gonna be back?"

"Actually, I don't know if we'll be able to make it back in tonight. I think we'll try for tomorrow."

"Oh. Is there anything else we can do?"

"Not at the moment, thanks. Just stay at Sanctuary in case I need you two again."

"Sure thing, Adam," Emma informed.

Emma sighed and turned around to the empty lab that surrounded her. She walked her way to her room to find Shalimar lying on her back on her bed looking very exhausted.

"Shal, you ok? Why'd you leave the lab like that?"

"Sorry, I'm just really tired. I haven't slept too good the last few nights it's like my dreams take even more energy out of me. I just don't feel good at all."

Shalimar's words and tone only made the psionic feel more concerned for her friend. She made her way over to Shalimar's side and placed her palm on the ferals head.

"You're burning up," she said as she felt the warmth beneath her hand. "I think you've got a fever."

"I think I might be getting sick. I've been feeling so weird lately."

"Maybe we should hook you up in the lab so we can monitor you. We could monitor your brain waves and your body's reaction and see if it's getting worse," Emma suggested.

"I don't think I wanna go through all that just yet."

"Ok, well, maybe I could go in and see if I cou-"

"No," Shalimar quickly protested. She couldn't imagine how Emma would react if she knew all the things that had been running through her mind. Emma reached out to take Shalimar's hand in her own to comfort her.

"Ok, you want me to leave you alone so you can get some rest?"

"No, I don't think I wanna sleep right now. Can we just do something to get my mind off this?"

"Ok."

Emma sat on the bed beside Shalimar.

"What would you like to do?"

"Doesn't matter," Shalimar said as she pushed herself up to lean against the wall behind her.

"Maybe you'd like me to disrobe so you can watch me strip or would that only make your temperature rise higher?"

"Strip?" Shalimar asked as she looked over to the psionic.

"What?"

"Didn't you say…never mind," Shalimar shook it off. It was beginning to seem like she couldn't even tell what was real anymore. She could swear she heard Emma say something that it turned out she'd never actually said. It was like her dreams. They were so real and so over powering Shalimar had to remind herself they didn't really happen. She knew if they kept proceeding the way they were she wouldn't know the difference between reality and fantasy anymore since she was beginning to find it hard to tell already.

"I asked you if you wanted to watch TV," Emma said.

"Oh, um, sure."

"Ok," Emma said and walked over to her dresser to remove the remote for the TV and came back to sit beside the feral. She took her hand in her own once more and noticed it too was warmer than usual.

"So is there anything on?" Shalimar asked.

"Um, I don't know."

Emma turned on the TV and began to flip around.

"I haven't sat down to watch TV is so long," Shalimar said. "I don't even know what's on anymore."

"Well, I don't think we've missed much," Emma said. She leaned herself back so she could lie right up against Shalimar and continued to flip through the channels. She turned and smiled sweetly at the feral.

"Cartoons are on."

"Not in the mood for that right now."

"Ok, let's see…um," Emma continued flipping through the channels finding nothing really interesting. "Junk…junk…seen it…rerun…boring…hate it…wouldn't watch it if you paid me…um…oh The L Word's on."

"Ugh, you know I hate that show," Shalimar said in a huff.

"Well, there's nothing else on. Besides, you've watched it before."

"And I only did that because of you and for you. I've never watched it alone and really don't wanna see it now. I just don't like it and don't wanna sit through it right now."

Emma sighed and changed the channel.

"Well, I like it. That Lara girl's really cute."

"I think she's obnoxious."

"Well, it's better than that Once A Thief you used to make me watch."

Shalimar rolled her eyes.

"I don't think so, hun."

"Anyways," Emma said as she continued to flip through the channels. "Xena's on."

"There's gotta be something better than that."

"How about this, Martial Arts channel. You like that."

"Ok, that'll do."

Shalimar managed a smile through her pulsing headache and rested her head on Emma's chest. She smiled as the psionic held her close and listened to her steady heartbeat which gave her comfort and seemed to somewhat calm her racing nerves. She quickly found herself getting lost in the moment and before she knew it she'd drifted off to sleep again in the psionics comforting arms.

"Hey, baby," Emma said as she stood on the beach in her black bikini.

Shalimar walked over to the psionic and felt the hot sand beneath her bare feet as she walked across the beach towards her.

"I've been waiting for you," Emma said and threw her arms around the ferals neck.

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," Emma answered and kissed the feral softly on the neck. She let go of her hold and walked to sit in the sun chair she'd placed in the sand not too far away. Emma laid herself out and Shalimar searched her body with her eyes as she watched the psionic breath in and out slowly making her chest rise and fall. Shalimar walked over to stand beside her. She looked down at herself and soon noticed she wasn't wearing anything at all. She reached down to pick up the blue towel from the back of the chair but Emma quickly grabbed it before the feral could get to it.

"If you want something of mine you have to ask first."

"Um, can I borrow your towel?"

Emma turned her sunglasses down a bit to look the naked feral up and down.

"If you rub this lotion on me. I don't wanna get burned."

Emma reached beside the chair to hand Shalimar a bottle of suntan lotion. Shalimar took it and knelt in the sand beside the psionic.

"I'm waiting," Emma said somewhat impatiently.

"Aren't you gonna turn around?"

"After you do my front I will."

Emma smiled and arched her chest forward and slightly off the chair. Shalimar couldn't wait to reach out and rub that beautiful body presented before her but moved slowly as she squeezed the lotion into her hands. She set the bottle back down and brought her hands up to rest on Emma chest. Shalimar slowly began to rub circles on the psionics flawless skin and watched as she smiled at her touch. Emma's nipples were quickly becoming visibly hard as she lay beneath the hot sun soaking up the rays that beat down on her body.

Shalimar could feel herself starting to sweat as she continued to rub lotion all over Emma's awaiting body. She gently let her hands travel down the psionics arms and back again making sure every bit of the white lotion was rubbed into her smooth skin. She let her hands travel further down to the psionics belly and felt her draw in a breath as her hands brushed back and forth across her belly button. Shalimar rubbed long and gentle and brought her hands down to trace the line of the psionics bottom piece of her suit and rubbed her as close as she could get without entering the garment. She used every bit of willpower she could muster up to avoid plunging her hand into the psionics lacy slip of material as she outlined it with her finger tips, lingering as long as she could over her flesh.

Shalimar headed downwards to rub the lotion into Emma's relaxed thighs that she could see were already beginning to tan under the hot sun. She rubbed as slow as she could and smiled as the psionic sighed in response to her efforts.

When Shalimar had finished with her task, Emma smiled and sat up so she could begin work on her back. Shalimar eagerly made her way to stand behind the psionic and proceeded to rub the lotion over her shoulders and collar bones. Once she started touching the psionic she never wanted to stop and wished she could freeze the moment in time and experience it for as long as possible.

Shalimar slid her hands slowly down Emma's sides and sprawled her fingers when she reached the bottom of her bathing suit. She then slowly dragged her hands back to their original position on the psionics neck and rubbed the remaining lotion on her thumbs into the back of her neck. As she saw the last bit that remained on her hands she trailed them down the middle of Emma's spine until she reached the fabric that blocked her path once more. She would've continued rubbing if Emma hadn't slowly began to lay back down forcing Shalimar to move her hands from her way.

"Thanks," Emma said in a smile of gratitude as she made herself comfortable on the chair once more. She reached her hand out to extend the towel to Shalimar.

"Anytime," Shalimar said and took the towel from the psionic to wrap it around her naked, sweaty body now glistening in the light of the sun.

"Um, Emma," she slowly began and hoped her voice didn't sound too nervous.

"Hmm?" Emma asked without moving a muscle.

"I was thinking maybe we could go swimming together. You know, skinny dipping. You like that."

"Hell yeah," the psionic said as she looked from under her glasses. "I love that."

Emma jumped from the chair and began to remove her bikini to join Shalimar in nudity.

"And then maybe we could, you know, have even more fun," Shalimar grinned at the psionic who just looked at her with a mixed face. Shalimar couldn't tell if it meant she wanted to or just wasn't up for it.

"Well, Shal, I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"It's not like you love me, Shal. I mean, we're not together. We can have some fun, but there's a limit."

Shalimar was shocked to hear Emma suddenly seeming to change her mind right before her. Emma removed her bikini bottoms and turned around to face the water.

"Wait, I thought-"

"I'm not yours, Shal. So I guess you'll just hafta drool on, dream on, and move on," Emma said before playfully running down the beach to splash into the water that awaited her.


	7. Flipped Out Ferals And Mind Bending Psio...

Shalimar quickly jolted herself awake in a sweat. She found she still lay in Emma's arms and panted slightly to catch her breath.

"You ok?" Emma asked as she felt the dampness on the ferals skin. "You look like hell."

"Gee, thanks," Shalimar said sarcastically. She whipped her brow to remove the sweat that had pooled there.

Emma flattened her hand on Shalimar's head and frowned at the fever she felt raging underneath. She gently rubbed the ferals head to try and calm her down.

"Didn't you sleep ok?"

"No it doesn't feel like I got any sleep at all."

Shalimar sighed and Emma could feel how uncomfortable she was.

"Maybe it's the new vitamins Adam's been giving you that's making you sick," Emma suggested.

"I don't know I just feel so whipped out and dizzy."

Shalimar closed her eyes and tried to concentrate more on Emma's gentle caresses instead of the pounding in her head.

"I'm gonna go call Adam and get you something to take for that fever," Emma said as she slowly slid herself out from under Shalimar's sweaty body. "I'll be right back," Emma said and left the room.

Shalimar tried to lay still and ignore the pain she was feeling in her head and joints. She felt like every time she tried to sleep it just made her more uncomfortable. And it didn't help that she couldn't stop dreaming about Emma every time she closed her eyes.

She contemplated whether or not to tell the psionic what's been going on in her head. She stopped and tried to tell herself what was going on in her head. She was really in love with Emma, wasn't she? She knew she'd always known that but suddenly it seemed to feel much different to her, much more real and deep. Flirting, kissing, cuddling, and all the likes had always been a regular thing between her and Emma. That was just how their relationship was and Shalimar was always thankful. Now she was left craving more than the routine kisses and caresses she felt from her psionic friend. She wanted the next time she woke up with her head on her bare stomach to be after a night of incredible love making.

Shalimar knew there was a deeper love between her and Emma. She knew she could probably win her heart if she tried but wasn't sure if she had the energy to attempt it yet. She remembered what Emma had told her; how she felt she wasn't in the mind set to have a relationship right now. Shalimar knew she probably was she just wasn't ready to reach out at the moment. Either way it did her no good if Emma wasn't ready for any kind of intimacy.

As Shalimar lay in bed she found it becoming harder to form a complete thought. Her headache was quickly increasing and she felt like she might pass out. She drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes to see Emma standing before her in her semi see through green shirt and tight hip hugger jeans that showed off her belly. She sat up and realized she wasn't uncomfortable anymore.

"You're dreaming about me again," Emma said with a knowing grin as she stood still before the feral.

Shalimar attempted to slide from the bed but couldn't seem to get her body to cooperate with her mind. She looked around the bedroom to see the lights had been slightly lowered as if to create an atmosphere.

"It feels so real," Shalimar said as she sniffed the air to breath in the incense the psionic must have lit.

Emma smiled and headed over to her dresser. She lifted the lighter from beside the television and began to light the candles she kept placed around her room.

"Don't you wish it was?"

"Yes," Shalimar answered in a breath.

"You want me to be as obsessed with you as you are with me don't you?"

"What? I…I'm not that…"

"Oh come on, Shal. It's so obvious. I see it, the guys all see it, hell even Stevie Wonder would see it. You really think you keep it all bottled in there? Who are you kidding besides yourself?"

"What are you..." Shalimar began but found herself too confused to continue her thought.

Emma opened her top dresser drawer and removed a small, sexy, white lace nightgown. She slowly began to undress herself making sure to take her time and tease the feral with every movement.

"Come on, Shal. You've already admitted it to yourself or I wouldn't be here."

Emma unhooked her bra and let it drop from her arms to the floor. She smiled and stood there for a moment naked before the ferals' large eyes.

"Oh, you're afraid aren't you? You just don't wanna hear it do you? Don't wanna hear me tell you I don't want you. That you're not what I need right now."

Emma smiled and began to slip herself into the silk nightgown. She lifted her bare leg to the bed and began to run her hands down her calves as Shalimar found it impossible to keep her eyes off her.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Emma stopped her task and turned her eyes to a confused Shalimar still frozen on the bed. She reached behind her head to pull her red hair from the ponytail she'd put it in. She tilted her head back and shook her hair out as she smiled at the feral.

"Doing what? I'm not even here, sweetie. You're doing it to yourself."

"No," Shalimar protested sounding more sure of herself. "It's you. You're doing this to me."

Emma snuck her hand down her body again to caress the skin of her inner thighs. She looked to Shalimar and grinned as she saw her shift her eyes back to her own at her acknowledgement.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Shalimar felt herself becoming angry and felt her headache quickly rushing back to her. She felt someone grab at her arm and looked back to Emma who grinned.

"See ya."

"Shal, wake up," Emma said as she gently nudged her shoulder. "Shal. Shalimar wake up."

Shalimar opened her eyes to see the psionic sitting beside her on the bed holding a glass of water and some pills in the other hand. Emma smiled down at her but Shalimar only frowned in response. Emma expression quickly changed at seeing the anger in the ferals eyes as she flashed them yellow.

"What's wro-"

Shalimar quickly sat herself up and slapped the glass of water from the psionics' hand causing it to shatter against the wall. Emma quickly stood from the bed in shock.

"You think I wouldn't figure out your little games?" Shalimar yelled.

Emma quickly backed herself up towards the door at the threatening glare of the feral before her.

"Shalimar, what are you-"

"Shut up! I'm sick of your lies!"

Shalimar flashed her eyes at the psionic again and gritted her teeth causing Emma to turn and quickly run from the room. Shalimar leapt to her feet and chased Emma through Sanctuary's halls, tracking her into the lab where she'd ran. She ran to the door to find Emma standing across the lab in the other doorway.

"Shalimar, what's gotten into you?"

"Shut up, liar!"

"Shalimar, it's me!"

Shalimar took off again towards Emma. Emma turned and tried to run away but as soon as she made it half way down the hall she found Shalimar throwing her to the ground from behind. Emma felt the pain in her joints as she collided with the cold, hard floor and scraped her chin against it. She quickly turned herself over and Shalimar pounced herself on top of her forcing Emma to use all her strength to try and wrestle her back. Shalimar pushed Emma's arm that held her back aside and slapped her across the face leaving visible scratch marks.

Emma had never seen Shalimar act this way. Even behind her eyes she didn't look to be the same. Emma couldn't imagine what had happened to the feral to cause her to act so violently towards her.

Shalimar grabbed Emma's wrists and flung them above her head to pin them to the ground. Shalimar scratched and hit the psionic again with more force, almost knocking her out. Emma wiggled and tried to free herself. When she found it was no use she saw she had no other option but to use a psionic blast on the attacking feral. It wasn't much, but was enough to daze and confuse Shalimar causing her to stagger back off her, releasing her tight hold on her arms.

Emma quickly scrambled to her feet and ran off down the hall. A few seconds later Shalimar's dizziness had worn off and she now found herself angrier than ever. She tracked the psionic down the hall and into the large training area. She headed up the stairs where she was sure the psionic had just walked. She scanned her eyes around the darkened room and froze solid as her senses warned her of danger. She looked to see Emma step from behind the wall and ran to attack her but found herself smacking into the force field around her and falling to the floor. She quickly jumped to her feet and tested the field again only to find it was impregnable.

Emma slowly walked over the stand before the contained feral who gritted her teeth and growled angrily at her. She was so thankful for Adams' force field so she didn't have to worry about Shalimar attacking her if she came to from a psionic blast.

"Let me out of here you little bitch!"

"Shalimar, I think there's something wrong with you."

"Me? No, it's you! You're the one messing with my mind!"

"You're wrong. You're staying in there until Adam gets back. I don't trust you."

"What? You don't trust me? That's ironic since you're the bitch playing the mind games! What were you trying to do to me? Do you do the same thing to the guys?" Shalimar screamed as her anger consumed her. She couldn't ever remember being so angry or worked up and hated the way it made her feel.

"I haven't done anything, Shal. You're crazy."

"No, you're crazy! I won't let you infect them too!"

Emma sighed as she turned and began to head to the bathroom to clean up her wounds leaving a growling Shalimar contained in the field.


	8. The Mind Of A Feral

"She's right ya know."

Shalimar turned around to see a grinning Emma standing behind her in the field.

"You are crazy."

Emma's smug look grew on her face causing Shalimar's anger to do the same. She rushed the psionic only to find herself fall through her in an attempt to tackle her. Shalimar grunted as she collided with the field again and quickly jumped to her feet to face the laughing Emma.

Shalimar tried to calm herself down and stop herself from shaking. She whipped her head to remove the sweat that had started to drip off her.

"I'm not crazy!"

Emma laughed and shook her head at the ferals denial.

"Who do you think is more likely to be the crazy one here, Shal, the mentally strong psionic or the emotionally unstable feral?"

"No, you're doing this to me!"

"Well, I guess you don't really know for sure do you?"

Shalimar hung her head into her hands and groaned in anger and discomfort.

"When Adam gets back they're gonna use you as a lab rat. They're gonna put a water bottle in here for you and you're never gonna get out."

"Shut up!"

"What's wrong? Can't face the truth?"

"Get out!"

Shalimar threw herself down to sit on the floor and grabbed her knees with her arms to sit and twitch.

"They're never gonna trust you again after this," Emma taunted as she began to walk around. She removed her black overcoat and dropped it to the floor in front of a shaking Shalimar.

"They're gonna look at you like a psycho freak."

"No."

Shalimar's voice was a faint cross between sad acknowledgement and soft denial.

"You attacked me, Shal."

Shalimar looked up to see blood suddenly appear on Emma's face and drip down to the floor. Emma brought her hand up to place it on her cheek. She removed it to look at the blood that covered her hand and reveal the large scratch marks that covered her red skin.

"You beat me for no reason. You think I can trust you after that?"

"No it wasn't you. It wasn't Emma it…," Shalimar looked around her surroundings becoming scared at the confusion spreading through her mind.

"It was me."

Emma walked over to stand in front of the crouching feral.

"How could you, Shal? I thought you loved me. Thought you cared about my well being."

"I was trying to stop this. I was just…"

"Crazy," Emma finished as she stood back up.

"No! I was…trying to protect you."

"Protect me? By nearly killing me? Good thing you're not a body guard huh."

Shalimar raised her hands and began hitting herself in the head as she hoped the sights before her would disappear.

"Wake up!"

"You're not sleeping, Shal."

Shalimar jumped to her feet and headed to the edge of the field to look out across the empty room.

"She's not coming back after what you did to her. She could care less about you."

"No. No, she…"

"She's on her link telling Adam what a whack job you are right now. You always had problems controlling your powers, Shal, and the team all knows it. I'm sure none of them will be too surprised to hear you finally flipped it."

"No, I'm gonna tell them about you, about what you're doing!"

"Don't worry you won't be here too long. They'll probably send you away to be studied. After all, we wouldn't want this to happen to any other mutants."

"They're my friends!"

"Your friends are the ones who made you like this. You've been taking your medicine like a good kitty all this time while Adam was experimenting on you and it finally caused you to try and kill the woman you love. Now you're gonna be their lab rat or should I saw cat. But that shouldn't bother you I mean you did always wanna be my pet right?"

Emma walked up behind Shalimar and whispered in her ear.

"I guess I'll just hafta wait 'til the guys get back so they can, um, comfort me."

Emma smiled at seeing the feral grit her teeth and flash her eyes at the remark.

"Aw, does that make you mad?"

Shalimar whipped herself around to see Emma and Jesse making out on the floor in each others' arms.

"What the hell?"

Emma and Jesse fiercely pawed and groped each other as she kissed her way down his bare chest. Shalimar felt her stomach turning at the sight of her best friend with the psionic.

"What's wrong, Shal?" Jesse asked and smiled down to Emma kissing his naval.

"You didn't think I wanted you did you?" Emma asked with a sneer. "I mean, if I want a nut, well." She smiled and turned her attention back to Jesse.

"Stop it!"

"Shal."

Shalimar turned at hearing Emma's voice behind her.

"Who are you talking to?"

Shalimar turned back to where Jesse and Emma had been only to find they were now gone. She looked back to Emma and noticed the large scratches on her face. She saw the psionic had wrapped a bandage around her right wrist and put another on her chin.

"Emma, please stop this," the feral pleaded.

She leaned into the field around her and backed up quickly as it stung her skin. Emma frowned at seeing Shalimar in so much pain and wished she could so something to help her.

"Stop what?" Emma asked trying to reach through to the feral.

"These games I can't take it anymore!"

"Shal, I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Let me out."

"I can't do that."

Shalimar's anger brewed stronger and she attacked the field once more with all her strength attempting to tackle the psionic. She was so worked up she didn't even flinch at the pain now surging through her body.

"You won't get away with this!"

"Why do you wanna hurt me, Shal?"

Shalimar flashed her eyes and turned to storm off to the edge of the field once more. She cuddled herself up into a ball and shook with rage and confusion as the psionic watched helplessly.

"The guys will be back tomorrow morning," Emma said trying to hide her sadness. "Get some sleep tonight."

Shalimar didn't look up as Emma turned and slowly made her way out of the room towards the lab, whipping the lone tear that fell and ran down her sore cheek.


	9. Slipping Away

"I don't know what to do, Adam," Emma said as she sat in the lab talking over her comlink. She sat at the computer reading up on Shalimar and becoming more worried by the minute.

"I don't want you to do anything until I get there. We're on our way now."

"I hate seeing her cooped up in pain like that."

"I know but as long as you're safe and ok."

"Well, not for Shal's lack of trying."

"And you can't think of anything that brought this new attitude on?"

"No she just flipped out and attacked me for no reason suddenly."

"And she still feels the same way. Did you try to talk things out with her?"

"Well, I would but I didn't really have time what with the running for my life and all. When I did try to approach her she didn't make much sense it's like she's more far gone every time I see her."

"Well, don't let her out of the containment area. I'll be there shortly and we'll sort this all out."

Shalimar's head pounded as she sat curled up on the floor. She tried to ignore the sensation the entire room was spinning all around her. She could feel the sweat dripping down her cheeks as she shook in her place. She felt her grip on reality falling shorter by the minute and couldn't tell anymore if she was conscious or not though she'd swore she hadn't gone to sleep.

She twisted and turned herself over to lie on her side at the feeling of sharp pains slicing through her stomach. She felt her whole body start to ache under some unseen pressure. Emma used to be the glue that held her together. Now she wondered if her best friend was the one trying to rip her apart. She processed the idea she might actually be crazy but realized it didn't account for all her weird feelings both emotionally and physically. She wondered if she was being put through some kinda of test but doubted she deserved the treatment.

Shalimar let herself sink lower into sadness as she felt the heavy grief consuming her. Her breathing was almost at a pant and her heart raced faster then she'd ever remembered it. She closed her eyes as tight as she could in hopes everything was a dream and she'd wake up in bed any second. She felt like she was lost in her own mind and consciousness and was just dying to find a place where she belonged.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Shalimar opened her unfocused eyes to see Emma leaning over her, her voice somewhat cloudy and distant.

"Time to get up. We have some visitors."

Shalimar slowly sat herself up to see Adam, Jesse, and Brennan walking across the hall following Emma.

"She'll probably be out for a while," Adam said. "We gotta get to work."

Shalimar watched as they headed out of sight and into the lab. She sat herself up fully and felt a slight pain in her hips as she did so.

"That little bitch is up to something," Emma said and crossed her arms before the feral. "You know they're cooking something up in there."

Shalimar looked to Emma and held a firm look on her face. She ignored the aches in her bones and frowned a disapproving look at the psionic before her.

"You're not real."

Emma gasped in a mocking shocked reaction.

"Well, that was harsh. Man and you wonder why I'm not begging you to take me."

Emma's mocking laugh only annoyed Shalimar more.

"Gees, one day you wanna fuck me and the next you wanna kill me is that your idea of romance?

"No, I-"

"I," Emma repeated mocking Shalimar's weak and uncertain tone.

"I only wanted-"

"I only wanted," Emma continued mocking Shalimar with a dark grin on her face. "I know what you wanted."

Emma moved herself closer to stand next to the feral on the floor.

"What do you think they're saying about you in there? What a lovesick, psycho feral you are. When you get the chance you could make them regret talking about you like that."

Shalimar flashed her eyes and growled at the words.

Back in the lab the team stood gathered around the large screen watching Adam work.

"In order to understand more we're gonna hafta do some tests on her."

"You mean take her out of the containment field?" Brennan asked.

"Exactly. I need to run some samples of her blood work and I'd like to have her under close observation."

"Wait, you think that's a good idea, I mean, what if she tries attacking Emma again?"

"Shouldn't be a problems because Emma," Adam said and rested his hands on the psionics shoulders to turn her towards the door. "Is gonna be in her room and out of Shalimar's sight. If Shalimar acts up you and Jesse can handle it. I want you to bring her in here and we'll secure her to the chair."

"Ok, sounds like a-" Jesse began but was cut off by the sounds of Shalimar's screams from the next room.

They all rushed out of the lab and quickly headed over the stand beside the field containing the screaming feral. Emma's heart broke as she watched Shalimar curled up, crying, and shaking in the corner. She looked at her exposed mid section to see the large scratches across her belly she'd given to herself as well as the bruises she wore from attacking the field.

"She's killing herself in there, Adam! We have to get her out."

Emma tried to keep herself as calm as she could but couldn't ignore the panic that was building up at the sight of Shalimar in so much pain.

"Brennan, I need you to bring the tranquillizer gun," Adam said.

Brennan nodded and turned to leave the room

"Maybe I should go in and see if I can calm her a little," Emma suggested. "I can't imagine the torture her mind is putting her though."

"No, it's too risky," Adam protested.

"Well, we can't just sit here and watch her suffer like this!"

"Emma, we don't know what's going on in her mind. You going in can make things worse than they already are."

They both turned as Brennan reentered the room with the tranquilizer gun.

"All ready," he said.

"So we're just gonna shot her?" Emma asked.

"With a small dosage. I don't want too much of that in her system. Only enough to put her out for about ten minutes."

"Ok, here we go."

Brennan raised the gun and pointed it at the twitching feral. Adam headed over to the control board and looked back to Jesse standing beside the field.

"You ready?"

Jesse and Brennan both nodded and Adam lowered the field. As soon as the field was down Brennan pulled the trigger. Shalimar quickly leapt towards Emma but soon fell to the ground at her feet and moaned before closing her eyes. Emma frowned to reveal the pain she felt and reached down to stroke the ferals hair from her face.

"Let's get her into the lab," Adam said as he and Jesse headed over to lift her up.


	10. Tests And Torture

Emma's heart broke as she sat beside Shalimar strapped to the chair healing her wounds. She was finding it somewhat difficult among Shalimar's sudden twitches that would shake her body every now and then. She could feel all the discomfort and pain that was raging through the feral and just picking up the feelings was making her sick and hurt. As she healed the last of the ferals scratches she turned back to Adam.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?"

Adam stood before the screen watching and typing. He shook his head at her question and tried to hide his nervousness.

"I'm still working on it. I might need to do another couple tests after this."

Emma turned back to Shalimar and fought her urge to cry at the ferals state. She gently brushed her hair back from her face and stroked her cheek. As she did so she noticed Shalimar beginning to move more as if she was becoming more conscious. She heard the feral making soft moans and grunts and she seemed to react to her touch.

"I'm gonna let these last few run. Come on." Adam said and turned back to Emma. "I think we should go."

"You mean just leave her here?"

"Yes. She'll probably be awake soon and I think it's best she doesn't see us right away, especially you."

"Oh."

"This way I can monitor her while she's alone as well."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma reluctantly agreed and stood to her feet. She frowned in sadness as she followed Adam out of the lab leaving the twitching feral strapped to the chair.

"We can listen to her over the link in the lab," Adam said.

The two made their way to the single sided see through glass to stand in the observation area and watch the distraught feral.

Shalimar twitched in her seat as she found herself beginning to wake up. She quickly noticed she was strapped down and fought against the metal restraints that held her wrists and feet in place only to find it useless. She felt dizzy and lightheaded and looked around trying to focus her blurry eyes. After a moment she realized she was in the lab.

"Well, you certainly are a fighter," Emma said with a laugh.

Shalimar looked to her right to see Emma sitting on the counter in her blue jeans skirt and red halter top with her legs crossed and dangling over the side. She opened her mouth and tried to speak and found her voice somewhat softer than usual.

"Go away."

"Don't worry I won't be here much longer," Emma said as she jumped from the counter and walked over to the feral. "Or you won't. Well, one of us won't anyway."

Shalimar whimpered at the realization there wasn't anything she could do about her suffering.

"I think we should take this opportunity to talk, Shal."

Emma began to pace slowly in front of Shalimar who kept her gaze fixed on the woman before her.

"What's on your mind there, little girl? Well, you know what's been on my mind? I never told you how uncomfortable you made me when you were 'pretending' to comfort me. Well, how you've always 'pretended' but especially then."

"What?"

"Remember, after Tyler? You held me close and acted like a good little feral trying to comfort me and dry my tears hoping all the while I didn't sense what was really going on inside you. I was so heart broken but all you really wanted to do was take me to your room and make me forget he ever existed. But, you pretended to care about my fragile feelings and put on such a show. It tore you up when I was with him didn't it?"

Emma glared at the feral as if to try and judge her reactions. She walked slowly around the feral leaned in to her face every now and then and taking a moment to run her fingers across Shalimar's collar bone.

"When I told you all the things I did to him you just cringed and hated me, didn't you? You wanted to hurt me that night and hoped I didn't realize it."

"No."

"Yes you did, Shal. You wanted to make me suffer for making you suffer with your feelings. You hated me for shaking my little ass in front of you and kissing you goodbye only to get my kicks in someone else's arms. You were crazy about me, and now, you're just crazy."

"You're wrong. You're twisting it all-"

"No, I'm just telling you the truth, Shal."

Emma made her way to stand beside the feral and lowered herself so their faces were side by side. She slowly rubbed Shalimar's head and let her hand trail down through her hair.

"And you wanna know a secret? I know how bad you want me, and all those things that drive you crazy everyday, I do 'em all on purpose just to have a little fun."

Emma laughed and licked Shalimar's neck and trailed her tongue up around her ear before pulling back to laugh at the frustrated expression she held.

"I get such a kick out of making you sweat."

Shalimar tried to cry and tried to scream but found herself far too worked up to do either. All she could do was sit in the chair, twitching, and sweating as the psionic teased her.

"I did wanna help you, Emma," the feral finally said in a pant.

"Yeah, right. You wanted to help me, right into bed. You think I really didn't know? It doesn't even take a psionic to read between those lines, Shal. I was so hurt and all you could think about was all the dirty things you wished I'd done to you instead. You can't tell me you didn't think I'd catch on to what you really wanted when you were pushing up against me like that."

"I...I wanted-"

"You wanted to push a little harder and make it hurt and you wanted me to like it, wanted me to beg for it and tell you it's what I've always wanted."

"Why are you saying this, Emma?"

"She's talking about you," Adam said with a look to Emma by his side.

"She's talking like she's talking to me."

Emma watched in confusion as Shalimar continued talking.

"Tell me what you want from me, Emma."

"I already told you, Shal."

Emma headed over to stand in front of the feral. She straddled her legs over Shalimar's strapped down ones and took her face in both her hands to look deep into her fear ridden eyes.

"I want you to tell me how you feel."

Emma smiled down at the feral who began to smile back.

"So I can reject you to your pathetic, lovesick face."

Emma laughed wildly and stepped back from Shalimar. Shalimar fought harder against her restraints. She arched her back as she tried to throw herself forward at the pain overflowing in her heart, body, and soul.

As Emma watched she felt like it was her own emotions that were being toyed with. She couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain and couldn't stand feeling it either.

"Adam, we have to do something."

"Those tests I ran are about done. Let's go in and get a look," Adam suggested.

The two headed into the lab and Emma quickly rushed to Shalimar's side and tried to calm her. Adam walked over to the screen to view the results upon it. Emma placed her hand on the sweaty forehead of the feral who didn't even seem to notice she was there.

"Emma, I told you I didn't want you in here during this," Adam said with a stern voice.

"I'm not leaving her, Adam."

Shalimar's gaze turned to the side of the room where a grinning Emma still stood, arms folded, wearing a cocky look. She walked over to stand behind the feral and talk into her ear.

"Tell me," she said, "and I'll go away."

"What?"

"Tell me and I'll leave. I wanna hear it first."

Shalimar panted harder and felt the soft touches upon her face and arms though she paid no attention. She couldn't pry her eyes away from the teasing psionic next to her.

"I…," she started among gasps for breath.

"Say it," Emma coaxed her further.

"I…love you, Emma."

Emma grinned and leaned away.

"And you hate me don't you? Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me you hate me. Come on, Shal, you've wanted to for so long now let me hear it!"

"I…"

"What? What!"

"Hate you! I hate you!"

Emma grinned in satisfaction and Shalimar hung her head back to fight the chair. She looked back only to find emptiness where the psionic had stood. She felt the hands on her arms and looked down to see Emma hunched over before her and in shock from her words. Shalimar growled at the psionic and kicked her with her foot, frustrated she was unable to lift it higher for a better shot. Emma grabbed her leg as the impact stuck her and backed up.

"Emma, I told you to get out of here," Adam said and took Emma's hand to lead her away from the yellow eyed Shalimar and led her over to the door.

"Now go, I'll meet you and the others in a few minutes."

Emma was too hurt to say anything in return and just looked at Shalimar, hardly recognizing her as the friend she used to know, and turned to leave the lab in a sob.


	11. The Problem With Ferals

"What's wrong, Em?" Brennan asked as he saw the saddened psionic shuffle her way into the living room.

"I don't know," she answered softly.

Emma walked over to stand beside Brennan and Jesse and tried to ignore the pain in her throat that begged her to cry.

"How's Shal?"

"Still hating me."

"Nah, I'm sure she doesn't hate you."

"She told me she did, Brennan. Actually, she screamed it at me before kicking me away from her."

"Well, I don't think she's herself, obviously, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You know she doesn't hate you."

"Yeah," Emma sighed not sure if she believed herself.

"Adam's gonna figure this out, Em," Jesse reassured and gently rubbed her back. "It'll be ok."

Emma reached down to take her wrist in her hand and rub the large bruises that covered it. She couldn't remember ever feeling so hurt and confused. She loved Shalimar more than anyone and couldn't imagine what she'd done to make her feral friend hate her so fiercely. She wanted to return to the lab and assist Adam in helping her but then remembered it would probably just hurt her more physically, emotionally, and mentally so she decided against it. Not to mention she was sure the feral didn't want anything to do with her as her constant attacks on her would suggest. She wondered if she'd done anything to provoke the hatred in her. She'd noticed Shalimar acting somewhat differently lately but didn't think anything of it. She'd noticed all the different readings she'd pick up off her and how they seemed to fluctuate so often recently.

"What do ya got for us, Adam?" Jesse asked as Adam walked his way over to them.

Emma looked up and tried to regain herself as she was pulled from her doubtful thoughts.

"It's not good I'm afraid," he replied with a long sigh as he stopped to stand before them.

"What's wrong?" Brennan asked, as his deep concern was apparent in both his voice and face.

"I think Shalimar's trapped herself inside her own mind and not just her own mind, but her emotions as well."

"What do you mean trapped herself?"

"I've seen this before it's very rare," Adam continued. He gestured to the large screen above them and typed on the keyboard against the wall. Emma, Jesse, and Brennan all looked up to follow what he was revealing.

"You remember last week when you recovered the new mutant being held hostage by the gang of psionics? I'd been monitoring Shalimar since she told me one of them had used her powers on her and almost caused her to pass out."

"Yeah, I got there in time she was clutching the walls almost ready to drop," Emma reminded.

"Right. I think this psionic has caused a reaction in Shalimar that she can't tolerate. I've heard what they do, psionics like the one you faced. They'll try to discombobulate their enemies but swirling all of their emotions and thoughts around inside them. Eventually, it causes their sanity to somewhat break down and they can't tell what's real anymore, can't put the misplaced feelings back where they belong."

"But why did it take her so long to feel the effects?"

"I don't know. She's been a little off this whole week but I wasn't too worried about it. I think something triggered it inside her. This psionic most likely targeted her most primal emotions, fear, love, hatred, etc. and Shalimar was keeping herself balanced until something triggered the part of her mind that was slipping away."

"You mean me," Emma said.

"I don't think that's too likely unless there's something you haven't told me," Adam said.

Emma looked down as to avoid his eyes. She remembered how they'd come so close to kissing before Shalimar attacked her. How she'd felt her lips upon her own, if only for a moment, but long enough to realize it was what both of them wanted and craved. She knew how many times they'd kissed before but also knew that one was leading in an all knew direction, one they'd never really discussed in such detail.

"I don't think so," Emma finally replied before turning her gaze back to Shalimar's information on the screen.

"Well," Adam continued. "I think she's too confused to know what's real and what's fake. Her lashing out at you is probably just because you were there when it all became too much for her to take. I don't think she really hates you, Emma. At this point she's crazed."

"What can we do for her?"

"Make it as easy for her as possible. Keep her comfortable and be here for her but it's her mind. It's up to her to pull herself through."

"Why can't I help?"

"The mind is a fragile thing, Emma. She already views you as something she has to fight. If you went in, it could cause more problems for her. I think the best plan of action is to continue to monitor her and have faith she's strong enough to deal with her inner demons."

"And what if she can't?"

Adam paused not wanting to address the question for knowing he didn't like the answer.

"Adam?" Emma pushed.

"She'll stay crazed."

Emma's mouth fell open slightly as the news hit her like a truck out of nowhere.

"How is she doing now?" Jesse asked impatiently.

"Not too well, actually," Adam informed. "Her brain waves are all over the chart and it's even taking its toll on her body. The longer she struggles with this the harder it is and will be for her to return to herself."

Emma, Jesse, and Brennan all hung their heads at his words.

"She's in a very fragile state right now," Adam reminded. "I don't want any of you to have any contact with her without letting me know first, understand?"

They all managed to nod their heads.

"I'm a psionic, Adam," Emma started. "Why can't I just go in her mind and tell her what's going on? She's so scared I can feel it. I can tell her what's happening to her and help her get through it I know I can. Just like when Eckhart had her trapped in the dreamscape and I was able to help her along."

"Emma, I told you, it's far too dangerous. Most likely she won't even believe you if you did. She's not thinking rationally and she has no idea what's reality and what's fantasy anymore. She needs to realize it for herself. She needs to be sure. Adding you to the chaos in her mind will only give her one more thing to deal with and have to sort out."

Emma was mostly certain he was probably right but she couldn't stand the thought of just standing by and hoping Shalimar would be ok. She couldn't function knowing what was happening to Shalimar not to mention all the pain she was picking up off her was almost as if she was experiencing it for herself.

"I want her to be ok just as much as you do." Adam smiled and placed his hand on Emma's shoulder in a comforting manner. "I believe she's a fighter and will make it through all this. I'm headed back to the lab. She's calmed down somewhat for now I need to do a couple more tests." Adam smiled at the three of them before heading off again.

"I think I'm gonna go lie down," Emma said and rubbed her forehead as her headache was becoming stronger every minute.

"Alright, we'll see ya later, Em," Brennan said.

"Come get me if anything happens ok."

"Sure thing."

"You go rest and I'll be in with a drink in a few ok," Jesse said and smiled at her.

"Ok, thanks."

Emma forced a smile and slowly walked off to her room leaving the guys both feeling very sad at the news of Shalimar and very uncertain of what they could do to help.


	12. Nightmares Do Come True

"Hey, Shal," Brennan said cheerfully as he entered the lab. "How ya feelin'?"

Shalimar turned her head slowly to look at him but remained silent.

"There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

Brennan looked to the exhausted Shalimar in the chair and leaned against the counter.

"You're one of my best friends, Shal, and I have to say I haven't been totally honest with you."

"What?"

Shalimar sounded as if she was trying to catch her breath in her answer.

"Remember when I told you I had feelings for a close friend of mine and was worried about it? I wanna say thank you for helping me along with that because if I hadn't I wouldn't be where I am now."

Brennan turned and smiled and Emma entered the room.

"Emma and I are getting married."

"What?"

Emma smiled and walked over to Brennan and the two began fiercely kissing each other. Shalimar watched in shock as the two were seemingly unable to keep their hands and mouths off one another. When their kiss finally ended, Brennan turned back to Shalimar while being sure to keep Emma close.

"We're getting married later today, Shal," Brennan informed. "I hope you get better so you can come."

"Otherwise you'll hafta wait 'til we get back from our honeymoon in a couple weeks," Emma said with a grin to Brennan.

"That's if we get back that soon," Brennan said and soon enough the two were all over each other once more.

Shalimar felt her stomach twisting up in anger and disgust as she watched the display of affection before her. She didn't know if she wanted to leap out of the chair to kill her or him or even both. She felt the pain in her mouth as she grinned her teeth harder at the sight.

As the two continued taking in each others mouths, Shalimar watched on as Brennan snuck his hand down to caress Emma's thigh and cup her beneath his arm, pulling her skirt farther up to reveal she wasn't wearing anything beneath. Emma plowed her fingers through his hair and pulled her mouth from his to kiss his neck.

Brennan pulled the psionic closer and rubbed himself up her body allowing the fly of his jeans to work her skit up to her waist. Shalimar furled her brow in non-belief she was witnessing the event.

Emma reached down to pull the shirt off Brennan and threw it aside. Shalimar grinded her teeth harder as it landed in her lap and she was unable to remove it. She looked down and soon saw Emma's top land on her lap beside the shirt. She looked over to the two who looked about ready to burn up in passion. She wanted to yell out but all she could do was watch as Brennan tugged Emma's skirt down to her ankles and she kicked them aside, hitting Shalimar in the face. She shook the garment from her head and looked back to the naked psionic ripping open Brennan's jeans.

"What are you doing?" Shalimar finally managed to say in hopes something would make them stop.

Brennan turned to Shalimar with a somewhat confused look on his face as Emma continued kissing his neck.

"Shal, you still here?"

Brennan turned back to Emma and lifted her to the counter to allow her to wrap her legs around his waist. Shalimar sat silently and helplessly as she watched the two grinding against each other recklessly. Every sound she heard only heightened her anger and pain and she wasn't sure why she felt the way she did nor why she was witnessing what she was. She sat still trying not to watch the display but occasionally found herself looking over to catch a quick glance.

After what seemed like forever, Shalimar watched as Brennan turned to put his pants back on. He looked over to Shalimar and grinned and removed his shirt from her lap.

"I'll see ya later, Shal," he said before turning to leave the lab.

Shalimar looked over to Emma still naked on the counter as she smiled back at her. Emma slid from the counter top and slowly walked over to Shalimar to stand before her.

"It's a shame you're still crazy," she said as she removed her skirt from Shalimar's lap. "I was hoping you could speak at our wedding later."

Emma turned herself to the side and Shalimar found herself looking over her entire body. Emma smiled and leaned forward to slowly pull her skirt back up her sweaty legs. She turned back to Shalimar and placed her hands on the sides of the chair to lean in to her allowing her breasts to fall towards the feral. Shalimar couldn't take her eyes off the perfect breasts that dangled inches from her face. Emma felt the hotness of the ferals breath on her skin causing her nipples to remain the hardened buds they already were.

"Can I have that please?" Emma smiled and looked down at her shirt on Shalimar's lap. She leaned in to kiss the ferals cheek and backed up taking the top with her. She stood before her and pulled her shirt back on, whipping it down after she did so.

"So you think you'll be able to speak at my wedding? I was wondering if you'd like to be in it."

"I…I can't…"

"Why not?"

Emma looked to the feral who noticed she must've offended her friend with her words.

"Well, gees, some friend you are. You know, Shal, sometimes I think we'd all be a little bit better off without you."

"What?"

"Then we wouldn't have to deal with your mood swings and your attitude problems and reluctantly for teamwork."

"Emma, I-"

"And I wouldn't have to put up with you either. I wouldn't have to deal with your constant flirting and all that handholding, kissing, and hugging you so love to do. I wouldn't have to act like I really love it as much as you do and you'd finally get the hint."

Shalimar felt her heart breaking more inside her as the psionic stood before her clearly angry with her. Emma could kill her with her words if she wanted to. She had no defense against the power the psionic had over her.

"What are you-"

"If you really want it," Emma began as she headed over to the computer controls. "Come and get it."

Emma smiled and released the restraints that held the feral in place. Shalimar looked down and wiggled in her newfound freedom. She quickly jumped from the chair and headed over to Emma. She wrapped her arms around the psionics hips to pull her in close and kiss her with all her soul. Emma kissed the feral then suddenly pushed her back.

"Sorry, Shal," she said as she gently eased the feral back away from her.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Not gonna happen."

Emma placed her hand on the ferals cheek.

"I gotta go. Brennan's waiting for me."

Emma smiled and kissed the ferals cheek. Shalimar watched as she turned to head out the door, shaking the back of her skirt the entire way. She stood still in shock from everything that had happened and clutched her hands into fists until her palms bled.

As Adam stood at the computer he noticed Shalimar's breathing had greatly increased very suddenly. He began to worry about her and turned to see her once again fighting the restraints.

"Shalimar can you hear me?"

He watched to see her reaction.

"Shalimar this is Adam. I need you to try and calm down. Emma's left."

He looked back to the monitor and noticed the changes n her chemical and mental readings. He pondered the readings and headed over to the screen as he began to get an idea.


	13. When Ferals Attack

Emma rubbed her eyes as she turned over in her bed. She brushed her damp fingers against her shirt to remove her tears from them. She reached her hand across to the pillow next to her to notice it was still damp with the tears she'd shed while crying herself to sleep.

Emma's head pounded with all the things she wanted to tell Shalimar. She wished she could sit down and talk everything out with her and tell her all the things she'd come to feel these last couple days and the things she'd always felt and never revealed. She felt a panic as she wondered what would happen if she never got that chance. What if Shalimar didn't ever get better? What if she hated her for the rest of her life? The thought of her suffering inside her mind for the rest of her life broke Emma's heart and she felt the tears drip their way down her soft cheek once again and moisten the newly dried sheets beneath.

Emma twisted in her bed and tried to find a dry spot to rest her face, which was now red from crying. She fluffed her pillow and flipped it over so she might enjoy the softness instead of the wetness. She turned to her side and rested her cheek on it and noticed it still smelled like Shalimar. The feral had been in her bed nearly every day this month and had spent the night in it most of them as well. Emma couldn't think of a night with the feral by her side that wasn't at least ten times better than any night she'd ever spent anywhere else. When she was gone she often found herself waking in the night and aching for her to the point she'd almost call her name out into the darkness.

Shalimar had always been her strength and her comfort. She'd always been there to help her and cheer her up no matter how bad she herself was feeling. She always seemed to put other's well being before her own. Emma's tears fell harder as she accused herself of not being able to do the same for her friend now. This was when Shalimar needed her most and Emma hated herself for not knowing how to help her friend. She already considered herself responsible for Shalimar's current state being the complicated relationship they shared, their kiss that meant more than what they were ready for, and the feelings she picked up from the feral and now that she couldn't even help on top of it, Emma wasn't sure she herself could even deal with the sadness and guilt.

It only took a few minutes for Emma's pillow to become as wet as the other one and she found her cheek cold with the pain she'd sobbed all over her bed once again. Emma turned over onto her back and starred blankly at the ceiling allowing her tears to take a different trail down her face and wet her hair. Emma pushed the strands that feel across her eyes out of her face and felt the dampness of her tears on her cheek as she did so.

Emma heard a knocking at her door but wasn't inclined enough to open it and wasn't too concerned with who was there as she was sure it was probably more bad news.

"Emma, you ok?" Brennan's voice came through the door in a concerned tone.

Emma sat in silence for a moment trying to hold her tears back so he couldn't hear them.

"Yeah," she finally managed to answer somewhat shaky. "I'll be ok, thanks," she lied though was sure her voice had given her away.

"Ok," Brennan answered softly through the door. She could tell in his voice that he didn't believe her but he probably knew better than to pry when she wanted her privacy. "If you need anything just tell me or Jesse ok."

"Ok."

Emma knew he could hear the pain in her voice and was sorry she wasn't as good at concealing it as he was though she'd heard some of the similar pain in his own words. She listened as he turned and began to walk back down the hall.

Emma felt the pain of her heart stinging beyond her will. The pain of her wounds that Shalimar had given her also had flared up and her whole body now felt tense and achy. She sighed among her sobs and tried to concentrate on something other than her heart breaking pain. She'd came into her room to get some sleep but couldn't seem to shut her mind down with all the worries and doubts that were running through it.

Back in the lab Adam stood looking over his computer screen and began to slightly grin. He looked back to Shalimar and ripped the print out of her chart and left the lab.

Adam smiled as he headed into the living room to see Brennan and Jesse reclined in the chairs and playing video games. He walked up behind them and made a face as to question their actions.

"What are you two doing?" Adam asked.

"Just playing some games," Jesse answered. "Trying to get our minds off of everything that's going on."

"Oh. Well, I think I may have a solution for Shalimar's problems."

"Really? Let's hear it," Brennan said eagerly as both he and Jesse put down their controllers and turned to give Adam their full, undivided attention.

Emma turned over in her bed as she became more and more restless. The more she thought about Shalimar the sadder she became. She wasn't sure her broken heart could sink any lower in her chest and she finally stood from her bed and headed over to the door. She paused as she reached it, taking a few moments to whip all her tears and dry her face. She knew it would be obvious to anyone who saw her that she'd been crying but didn't care. The only thing she cared about was checking on the well being of her best friend whose pain was calling to her from the lab.

The call of her feral friends pain was so unbearable as Emma made her way down the hall. When she finally reached the lab her head was throbbing as was her heart at trying to balance out the feelings the feral provoked inside her. Emma's heart broke further as she stepped into the lab and gazed upon the twitching feral. She stepped closer to the feral and noticed her struggling with her restraints. She headed over to stand beside her and saw how she was fighting her wrist restraints so fiercely it had caused large bruises and some cuts to appear.

Emma felt the intense pain of her friend and couldn't take it. She turned around to remove some medical wraps and ointment from the first aid cabinet behind her so she could patch her wounds and wrap them to prevent further rubbing against the metal restraints. She turned back to the still restless Shalimar and pulled the small freestanding table over beside them along with Adam's computer chair. Emma sat herself down and prepared to assist her friend.

"Shal," she began very softly. "Can you hear me?"

Shalimar didn't respond. Emma realized the feral wasn't even aware she was there. She wasn't trying to kick her or yelling at her and hadn't made any eye contact with the psionic yet either convincing Emma she didn't even realize she was there with her.

Shalimar began to slow her twitching and Emma wondered it if was safe to tend to her wounds. She contemplated giving her another tranq shot but knew Adam would probably disagree with her decision. She looked over the feral who was much more calm now and still didn't seem too aware of her presence. Emma decided she'd have to release the restraints on her arms in order to help her. She swirled around to the control board and looked back to Shalimar before releasing her arms.

Emma turned back around and began to tend to the wounds on the feral's right wrist. She thought the least she could do was make her comfortable while she suffered. She gently rubbed the ointment over the large, purple bruises that covered the feral's wrist and whipped down the cuts with water from the large water bottle beside the chair. She unraveled the bandage and slowly and gently wrapped it around the feral's wrist. Her own wounded wrist rubbed slightly against Shalimar's as she wrapped it tighter.

Emma slid herself over to the feral's other arm and began to give it the same treatment. When she was able to wrap the wrist the feral began to twitch more violently once again and she swung her arms up into the air slightly, then with more force. Emma grabbed her arm quickly and set it back down and tried to wrap her other wrist before she became too out of control. Before the psionic could bandage the ferals wrist, Shalimar flung her arms up smacking her hard across the face and causing Emma to nearly fall out of her chair. Emma quickly jumped to her feet and attempted to hold her hands down but the stronger feral fought against her and threw her hard against the wall. Shalimar reached down to the opened water bottle and threw it forward causing it to spill out over the control board. The sparks flew in the lab and Shalimar's leg restraints quickly released their hold on her.

Shalimar quickly jumped to her feet and tackled a now standing Emma, taking her off guard as the two both tumbled to the hard floor. Emma looked up to notice Shalimar's eyes didn't seem to reveal her as she clawed and swung at Emma recklessly. Emma felt the pain wash over her in waves as the feral struck her, each time harder than the last.

"You might be onto something there, Adam," Brennan said as she looked to Jesse who displaced an agreeing face.

"Now all we need to do is test it," Adam said.

The lights flashed all over Sanctuary and the guys turned as the sounds of Emma screaming from the lab caught their attention. They rushed back to the lab and saw Emma and Shalimar attacking each other on the floor.

Emma was finally able to muster enough energy to throw a psionic blast at the attacking feral though it was so small and weak it didn't really effect her only further angered her.

Jesse rushed over to try and pull Shalimar off Emma and found it harder than it appeared, as Shalimar fiercely kicked him for his efforts, leaving a large boot print across his face. He turned back to Shalimar and before he could reach for her again saw her hit with an electric bolt from Brennan. He turned back to see the disappointed look the elemental held at using his powers on one of his best friends but noticed the feral now lie motionless on the floor. He rushed to her side and lifted her head feeling thankful she was alive but upset she'd been so much more hurt. He looked back to Emma to notice she too was now motionless on the floor.

"Let's get them on the tables," Adam said.

Brennan headed over to lift the psionic from the floor and placed her on one of the tables and strapped her into place. He turned to help Jesse do the same with Shalimar and they placed her on the adjacent table and strapped her down as well.

Adam looked over his lab and knew it would take a while before it was running back up at full power once again.

"Jesse, I'm gonna need you to help me fix the power here and the lab as soon as possible," Adam informed.

"Yeah, no problem, Adam," Jesse agreed.

"She's having trouble breathing, Adam," Brennan said as he stood over Emma. He looked back to Shalimar to notice she was having the same difficulties as well.

Adam quickly headed over and hooked Shalimar up to the breathing assistant and monitors. Brennan did the same for Emma and Adam assisted him.

"I want you to watch them," Adam informed. "Jesse, I need your help fixing the power situation. It's draining every minute we leave it at this low a state."

Jesse nodded and the two headed back to the control board to begin working.

Brennan pulled up the computer chair and placed it between Emma and Shalimar so he could sit between them both and keep a close watch over them. He hung his head in his hands and pushed his fingers through his short hair. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so worried and so scared for his friends. He loved them both so much he hated seeing either of them in such pain especially when they'd caused it in each other. It didn't seem like it could be happening. He felt like every second he wasn't thinking of ways to help them he was letting them down somehow.

Brennan stood to his feet hating the thought of sitting around and waiting for something to happen. Jesse and Adam had been running from lab to lab trying to fix the power situation and every second he'd sat there seemed like forever. Brennan looked down at the two women who both lie there unconscious. He gently looked down to Emma as he noticed her eyelids flickering slightly and took her hand, clasping it within his own. He whipped the blood from her hand and pushed a smear off her cheek, realizing there was still much to remove. He could almost feel the pain they were both going through and combined with his own it was quickly becoming too much to take. He turned as Adam quickly headed into the lab.

"We have a problem," Adam said not wasting a moment.

"What?" Brennan did nothing to hide the worried look on his face.

Jesse looked up from the computer behind him and knew what was coming wasn't going to be another bright idea.

"I'm afraid the power situation is more of a problem then I'd anticipated," Adam began, his voice lower and sadder than either of them could ever remember.

"What do you mean?" Brennan asked.

"Emma's in a coma. Her body and her mind aren't doing well. Shalimar's state has since become slightly worse," he continued and paused to take a breath. "They both need to stay hooked up to the respirators and monitors but…"

"But what?" Jesse quickly demanded.

"There's only enough power to run the supports for one of them."

"What are you saying, Adam?" Brennan asked not sure if he even wanted to hear the answer and fearing he might already know what it was.

Adam sighed long and hard and finally brought his gaze back up to meet with Brennan's.

"In order to save one of them we'll have to unhook the other."

Brennan and Jesse felt their hearts sink and break in their chests at the words and stood still, shocked and in silence not knowing what to do or say next.


	14. Psionic Connection

"Well, I hope you're happy," Emma said with a sad look over to Shalimar on the table. "You finally killed me."

Shalimar lifted her head the little bit she was able to and looked at the sad psionic standing against the wall. She pushed herself away from it and slowly walked over to the strapped down feral.

"And all because I wouldn't love you. You don't even deserve my love."

Emma shook her head in disgust as she looked down at the feral.

"Stop it," Shalimar managed to breathe out. "Stop doing this to me."

"How dare you say that to me after what you've done. You couldn't even protect me, Shal. What good are you? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised I mean, after all this isn't the first time you've let me die."

Shalimar turned her face to watch the psionic who walked around her table.

"Why don't you just kill me?" she asked.

"That's not what you really want, Shal. No, what you really want is to kill me and it looks to me like you've done it, again."

Emma made her way behind Shalimar and trailed her hand across her shoulders as she did so. She stopped as she reached herself lying on the table a few feet from the feral. Emma stood over her body and looked down at herself with a sad expression. She ran her hands up her own motionless arms and across her face ever so gently.

"You promised you'd always watch over me and keep me safe. You said you'd always be there if I needed you. But you weren't were you?"

"What?" Shalimar tried to speak among gasps for breath. "What are you talking about?" Shalimar looked to the psionic who still stood beside the table mourning herself.

"How could you let me die, Shal?"

Emma turned her face up to the feral. Shalimar felt her heart breaking further at seeing the saddened looked in her eyes.

"You don't remember do you?" Emma asked. She reached down and lifted a bouquet of roses and smelled them. "Roses from Brennan. At least he gives me something other than bruises."

In the living room the guys all stood in silence trying to decide which of their feelings to act upon, the anger, sadness, or confusion.

"Adam," Brennan finally spoke. "How can you propose we let one of our friends die?"

"I'm proposing we try and save one of them before it's too late."

"Adam, I'm not gonna decide which of my friends I want to live more."

"We have to make a decision in the next few minutes or it can be very fatal to both of them."

"Why don't we take them to the hospital?" Jesse suggested.

"No, there's not enough time. Besides they wouldn't know how to deal with it."

"Well, it's worth a shot. We can't just accept that one of our friends will die, Adam."

"I don't think they can survive long enough without the supports to make it to the hospital."

Brennan slammed his fist into the wall in anger. He shook it off at feeling the pain it produced.

"So then what are we gonna do?"

"Well," Adam answered. "That's what we have to decide. Which one of them are we going to try and save?"

Emma walked through the grassy field making her way to the large oak tree before her. It was so beautiful and sunny and she smiled at feeling the sunlight on her bare shoulders.

Shalimar looked up from the blanket under the tree where she sat. She looked around her surroundings feeling confused and somewhat out of place. She noticed a picnic basket beside her and looked across the field to see Emma heading towards her wearing a tiny, blue tube top and denim jeans. She smiled as the psionic slowly sat herself down next to her. Emma smiled and inched herself closer beside Shalimar and took her hand within her own. Shalimar noticed how she didn't feel the way she had been feeling before. She felt normal; like she could think and feel without all the doubt she'd had in her mind.

"Emma," she began. "I'm sorry."

Emma reached up and stroked the ferals hair back from her face. She ran the back of her hand down her cheek slowly and smiled sweetly at her.

"It's ok, Shal."

"No, I killed you. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"No you didn't, Shal. I'm not dead."

"What? You're alive?"

Shalimar smiled and threw her arms around the psionic to hug her and kiss her cheek.

"But, I thought I attacked you. I don't remember it but I know I did. I tried to kill you."

"It's ok, Shal, I forgive you."

"You shouldn't."

Shalimar released her hold on Emma and turned to hide her face from her, feeling ashamed of her actions.

"I understand, Shal, that wasn't you."

"No but it was. Somewhere underneath everything that's happening to me I'm still me. It was me on some level."

Now that she could think clearly Shalimar couldn't believe the way she'd acted. She couldn't forgive herself for hurting the one person she'd never wanted to hurt and the one person she loved more than anyone else and Emma's forgiving her was only making her feel more guilty.

"Wait," Shalimar began and turned back to meet Emma's eyes with her own. "How come I feel like this?" she looked over the psionic before her and realized in her eyes that she was really there with her for the first time. "How come it's really you here with me?"

"I've connected our minds, Shal. Actually, I brought you over here into mine in hopes you wouldn't suffer with your own problems here."

"But how? How did you get here?"

"After…," Emma began but stopped and tried to prevent herself from shifting her eyes away from Shalimar's, "you attacked me, I entered into a coma and that's why I'm here in my own mind."

"Oh God," Shalimar sighed at the realization of what she'd done. She looked to Emma and her eyes began to fill with tears.

Emma reached out to pull Shalimar close to her. The feral rested her head on the psionics shoulder and wept at her actions. She clutched her back tightly as the psionic rocked her in her arms. She couldn't even think of how to begin to make it up to her.

"It's ok if you hate me," Shalimar said as she cried on her friends shoulder.

Emma felt the dampness of the ferals tears on her shoulder and held her friend tighter.

"Shh," Emma said as she tried to comfort her. "It's ok, I don't hate you."

"You should," Shalimar protested. She pulled back to look at the psionic who saw all the pain she held behind her tear filled eyes. "I beat you into a coma, Emma. I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Emma cupped the ferals face within her hands and brushed back her tears with her thumbs.

"Well, you've got it."

"I'm sorry I said I hated you. I didn't mean it."

"I know."

"Are you going to be ok?"

Emma paused as she thought about the question. She looked down to the blanket between them and returned her gaze to Shalimar's concerned filled eyes.

"I don't know. Let's just relax while we can ok."

Emma reclined herself to rest her back against the tree and pulled Shalimar with her to lie in her arms. Emma wrapped her arms around the feral as Shalimar rested her head against Emma's breasts. Shalimar smiled and held the psionics hands tightly. She felt so relived she was able to think and feel without doubting herself every second.

"I missed you," she said.

Emma smiled and twisted to find a more comfortable position.

"I missed you too."

"I don't wanna leave here. I can't think or function right otherwise. I don't wanna leave you."

"You have to eventually, Shal. You need to figure yourself out."

"I know, but…ow." Shalimar twitched against Emma and pushed herself up and removed her hair from the psionics belly. She braced herself on her arms aside Emma's hips and looked up at her.

"What is it?"

"Nothing just had my hair caught in your naval ring." Shalimar laughed and picked a long blonde strand from the psionics silver ring and dropped it beside them.

"Oh, sorry," Emma laughed as Shalimar dropped the hair.

Shalimar leaned her head forward to kiss Emma's belly softly and turned her face back up to meet her eyes.

"Everything feels so real here. Can't we just stay here together?"

"It doesn't work like that, Shal."

"Emma," Shalimar said and sat herself up to take the psionics hands in her own again. "There's a lot of things I need to talk about with you." Shalimar paused and began to pant softly. Concern quickly spread across Emma's face.

"Shal, are you ok?"

Shalimar coughed and panted more causing Emma to reach out and place her hands on her shoulders.

"Shalimar, what's wrong?"

Shalimar continued to cough and moved herself forward to lie on the blanket as Emma assisted her down. Emma rubbed the ferals back and turned her over to cup her face.

"Emma, what's happening?" Shalimar finally managed to ask among gasps for breath.

"I don't know," Emma answered. "Try to stay calm."

Back in the lab Brennan and Jesse stood over a flipping out Shalimar and tried to keep her under control. Jesse held her down against the restraints as she fought with all her might to break free. She gasped for breath and Jesse quickly turned to Adam at the control board.

"She still can't breathe, Adam! Something's gone wrong!"

"I'm working on it," Adam answered. "Try to keep her still."

Shalimar twitched violently from side to side and raised her chest as she attempted to get more air.

"Adam, she's flipping out!"

Adam rushed to Shalimar's side as she suddenly let herself drop back down to the table with a thud. She lie motionless before them and Adam reached for her throat to check her pulse.

"Her heart's stopped," he informed.


	15. If I Should Die

Emma sat under the tree cuddling the feral in her arms. She rubbed her head gently and moved the last bits of her hair from her face. She looked at the feral's cheeks which now bore the tears the psionic was shedding at holding her departed friend. She pulled the feral closer into her arms and rocked her back and forth as if to comfort her though she knew it was herself that needed the comfort now.

Brennan quickly reached for the defibrillator on the crash kart next to the chair and lifted them above the lifeless Shalimar. He pressed them to her chest and watched eagerly for a response. He began to lower them again when Adam turned from the monitor and interrupted.

"No, wait!" Adam quickly grabbed Brennan's hands to prevent him from reviving the feral.

"What are you doing, Adam?"

"If you shock her again it'll draw more power from Emma's supports. More than she can sustain."

"We can't just sit here and watch her die, Adam!"

"But if you use that on Shalimar it will put Emma in such a critical condition it could kill her, and it might not even save Shalimar."

Brennan stood still for a moment. He wondered why he wasn't attempting to revive Shalimar. He didn't mean to choose Emma over her but couldn't seem to move from his position to take any action. He stood frozen solid, never feeling so torn and confused in his life. He quickly pulled himself back to reality and threw the defibrillator aside. He reached down and tore the feral's shirt open to expose her chest. He placed his hands slightly above her chest and began sending electric bolts into her while Adam assisted in attempting to revive her.

As he watched the two work, Jesse stood silently at a near panic behind the ferals head. He tried to remain strong and fight the tears that were building up in his eyes at watching his best friend lie dead on the table before him. After a few minutes passed with no success Jesse felt his confidence fading. Brennan shocked the feral once more only to have the same reaction he'd gotten, absolutely none.

"Come on, Shal!" he yelled and lowered his hands once more to deliver another shock. "Shal!" Brennan began to lower his hands once more but Adam reached out and took his arm with his own hand.

"Brennan," Adam said softly. "She's gone."

Brennan looked to Adam and quickly back to Shalimar in an attempt to shrug off his words. He ignored Adam in front of him and attempted another shock on the feral. Shalimar remained still and offered no reaction to his charges. Brennan grabbed her shoulders in a panic and shook her, not knowing what else to do.

"Shalimar! Shalimar!"

"Brennan," Adam cut in once more. "Let her go in peace now."

Brennan slowly let his hands slide off the feral's lifeless body and return to his sides in defeat. Jesse's mouth stood open in shock and pain and he somehow managed to step to Brennan's side and put his arm around him. His tears were flowing freely and as he reached the elementals side he realized so were Brennan's. They both wanted to throw things and release their anger but found they were far too in shock to do either of those things.

Adam reached down and took Shalimar's hand in his own to clasp her. He hung his head and felt the painful lose of one of his dearest and most trusted friends.

Within a few moments Adam heard the alert to Emma's vitals changing and headed over to stand next to her and monitor her.

"Her breathing has slowed," he informed. "So has her heartbeat."

Both a teary-eyed Jesse and Brennan slowly turned, their deep grief apparent in both their faces and body language.

"Jesse, I'm gonna need you to get back to working on the power situation in case Emma needs it. Can you do that for me?"

Jesse stood still for a moment trying to gather his feelings and thoughts. So many things were running through his head and heart he didn't know where to begin trying to pick them apart. He stood for a moment and pondered the question. After a few seconds he whipped his eyes and looked up at Adam.

"Yeah, Adam," he replied, his voice low and full of hurt and pain. He turned and headed back to the computer control board, looking back at his best friend's dead body.

Brennan sat in the chair between the girls and took hold of each of their hands once more. He turned to Emma beside him to see how her body was trying to fight her current condition. He felt somewhat responsible for her weakened state at having used the defibrillator on Shalimar. He felt guilty he wasn't able to save his friend from a suffering death. He felt like giving up and crawling into a corner somewhere but remembered he had to be strong for his friends and for Emma. He couldn't remember ever crying so much or ever feeling so hurt. It felt like his chest was weighted down and he would swear he could literally feel the painful sting as it broke in half and hung in its place.

Emma could feel her own life slipping away as she began to struggle with her breathing. She remained in her position with her arms wrapped around Shalimar and now felt like a piece of her was missing now that the feral was gone. She tried to think of what she could do, if anything, to bring back her love. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to survive if she had to do so without Shalimar. She'd always considered the day her life truly began to be the day they met and knew it would end the day they parted. She knew she had to try and do something to reach her friend, wherever she may now be.

As Brennan sat between the two most important women in his life he noticed Emma's pulse in her wrist was becoming very faint and weak. He reluctantly released the ferals dead hand and turned his attention to the psionic beside him. He moved his chair closer to her and clasped her hand within his. His last few tears fell and dampened the back of his wrist as he was finally getting himself under control though he hadn't stopped crying.

"Adam," Brennan said softly but it was enough to get his attention.

Adam stood at the monitors and didn't even look over to him when he answered, "I know. She's fighting the machines." He watched as Emma's vitals steadily dropped and tried to remain as calm as he could though he'd never felt so nervous or scared in all his life.

Brennan looked up at the sound of the beeping increasing. He stood to his feet never letting go of the psionics hand as Adam quickly turned around. Jesse looked up from his work and quickly rushed to her side just in time to hear her heartbeat monitor stop solid. Jesse felt his own heartbeat almost stop at the sound.

Brennan began to deliver electric shocks to her in hopes of revival. He was determined not to fail her the way he had Shalimar.

"She's fighting you, Brennan," Adam said. "Keep going we can't lose her too."

Brennan and Jesse worked as hard as they could to revive the comatose psionic but she offered no reaction to their efforts the same way Shalimar had.

As Brennan continued working on shocking the psionic back to life, Jesse quickly spun around as Shalimar gasped for breath behind him. He rushed to her side in relief she was alive though he didn't know how. She gasped for breath and pushed her chest straight into the air as she did so. Jesse smiled as he took her hand in his own and felt his tears running down his face again. Adam quickly rushed over to Shalimar and smiled at seeing her alive again. He turned his attention back to Emma on the table and turned to assist Brennan in reviving her though she her body didn't seem to want to cooperate with their attempts.

Shalimar gasped for breath in the psionics arms and looked up to see her smiling down at her. She looked around to notice darkness all around them. She no long saw them in the field under the tree on a beautiful day. The only thing she saw was Emma and a surrounding darkness. She sensed the coldness all around them and realized the psionics hands were cold themselves. She looked up and noticed Emma's look was happy but she held back pain in her face as if she was afraid to show it to the feral.

"Emma, Shalimar managed. "Where are we? What's wrong?"

"Shh," Emma answered. "You're ok now, Shal."

Shalimar noticed the psionic could barely breathe and her voice was so low she almost couldn't hear her.

"What's going on, Emma?"

Emma smiled down at the feral and stroked her hair ever so softly. Shalimar wished she could stay in her arms forever but could feel a distance building between them. It made her feel a panic and she reached out to wrap her arms around the psionic.

"I can't…" Emma tried to speak but found it incredibly difficult. "I can't sustain this any longer."

"I love you, Emma, please don't go," Shalimar pleaded with pain and panic in her voice. She tried to keep her gaze fixed on the psionic but before she knew what was happening all she saw was darkness.


	16. How Much I Love Thee

Shalimar slowly opened her eyes and realized she still lie on the table in the lab. She tried to turn herself over but found she was still strapped down.

"Hey, Shal."

She heard a familiar yet blurry voice call from behind her. She turned her head to the side to see Brennan walk up next to her and take her hand. He smiled as he looked down at her. She listened to him talking and noticed how he seemed to be so far away from her though he was obviously standing right next to her. She always hated the way that sounded.

"How ya feelin'?" he asked. He looked up and called across the lab, "Adam, she's awake."

"Yeah, but she's still pretty out of it," Adam replied from somewhere out of the ferals field of vision.

Shalimar kept her gaze on Brennan smiling back at her. She felt herself becoming weaker suddenly and shifted her head to the other side. She looked at the empty table that was next to her and suddenly remembered Emma. Where was she? She'd been strapped next to her the last time she remembered seeing her but now it was obvious she was nowhere in the room. Shalimar felt confused and frightened and couldn't even pick up the scent or presence of the psionic in the lab. Suddenly it came back to her. Emma was dead. She'd watched her die. She remembered calling out to her but felt her slipping away. She remembered how she'd tried to kill her. How she hated her. She remembered the sadness in her face when she drifted away and out of sight. How could this be happening? Shalimar couldn't believe it. There must have been some mistake, she told herself. She attempted to lift herself off the table but the restraints and Brennan's hand on her collarbone easing her back down prevented from carrying out the task.

"Hey, Shal, relax."

Shalimar lie herself back down and tried to catch her breath which was racing for some reason that was unknown to her. She tried to open her mouth but felt herself becoming too dizzy to speak. She wanted to ask where Emma was. She wanted to call out to her and see her smiling face beside her. She felt panic quickly overflowing inside her. Before she could seem to form another thought she'd passed out just as quickly as she'd awakened.

Brennan and Adam watched over the feral as she remained in the lab. She'd calmed down much more and hardly ever twitched anymore. They'd both been looking on the bright side a lot more recently at the ferals steady improvement. Adam kept a close eye on her and monitored every change her body made. He watched over her closely and adjusted her treatments as needed. Brennan was always close by to offer his emotional support in case she might awaken once more.

A few days later Shalimar opened her eyes once again. Brennan quickly rushed to her side and offered a smile as she looked back up at him. He didn't expect too much but was pleased to see she recognized him and responded to his presence.

"What's going on?" she finally managed to ask after pulling herself together and gathering her thoughts.

"You're in the lab, Shal," Brennan answered softly. He reached up to stroke her hair gently and held his friendly smile. "You're gonna be ok."

"I'm uncomfortable," she grunted and tried to turn herself.

"Just relax."

"Where's Emma?"

"You can see her later," he told her. "Don't strain yourself."

She's alive. Shalimar realized Emma must still be alive. She suddenly felt a burst of energy and strength. She wanted to leap from the table and run to the psionic and take her in her arms and never let her go. She knew she'd make everything all better the way she always did. How many nights had she fallen asleep in her arms saddened by some grief in her life only to awake with new hope? She knew once she felt Emma embracing her all her troubles would slip away and everything would be ok again. The only medicine she'd need was the psionics sweet kisses. Her sweet touch would sooth all her wounds, outside and in. Her voice would cure any pain left in her head and her smile would light the darkness that had moved into her heart. All she needed was Emma.

Shalimar twitched and tried to sit up once again. Brennan smiled at her eagerness and looked up to Adam.

"I think she's got enough energy to get up, Adam."

Adam smiled and headed over to the feral. He smiled his warm and comforting smile as he looked down at her.

"How ya feelin'?"

"Like there's a drill in my head," she answered. "I wanna get up."

"Well, you don't seem homicidal anymore. I think we can give it a shot."

Adam began to undo her restraints and Brennan assisted. When they were all unstrapped Shalimar slowly sat herself up. She cracked out her back and neck as she did so to relive some of her built up tension. She swung her legs over the side of the table and hopped herself to the floor. She was a little wobbly at first but Brennan held her arm and assisted her across the lab. She smiled and turned when she reached the other side.

"You cats do always land on your feet, don't you?" Adam asked proudly.

Brennan was helping keep her steady but she shook her arm gently, signifying she could do it on her own. He smiled and released her arm and watched as she walked back across the lab to Adam's side. He smiled back and hugged her close.

"I think you're going to be just fine," he reassured.

Brennan nodded an agreement and walked back over to stand beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"I wanna see Emma. Where is she?" Shalimar asked anxiously. She looked to Brennan and Adam back and forth.

"She's not here right now, Shal. Why don't you lie back down?" Adam asked and placed his hands on her shoulders. She quickly shrugged him off and stepped away.

"Emma?" she asked through her comlink. "Emma?" She looked to Adam and he noticed how displeased she was becoming. "Where is she, Adam?" she demanded.

"She's on a mission with Jesse. I guess they turned their links off to avoid being heard. Now why don't you lie down and get some more rest."

Shalimar felt herself close to panic again. She told herself something wasn't right there though she wasn't sure if it was true or not. She wanted to believe Adam but felt too confused by what had happened earlier.

"What are you not telling me?" She flashed him a look that made no mistake of letting him know she wasn't in the mood for a run around. "She was lying on that table and now she's gone and you won't tell me anything else?"

"Shalimar, I already told you she's out with Jesse. You've been unconscious for three days," Adam told her.

"What? But she died. I felt it, Adam. I felt her die. I saw her soul slipping away."

Adam sighed and looked back up to her eyes.

"You're right. She died," he let out. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to feel guilty. I didn't want it to interfere with your recovery."

Shalimar felt herself becoming light headed. Did she even want to be awake if she had to exist without Emma? To her, she found it worse than being unconscious as now she was aware the psionic wasn't there.

"But, Shal, Emma-"

Adam began to explain but before he could finish Shalimar fainted and he reached out to catch her in his arms. Brennan rushed over to help support her and put her back on the table.

"She should be fine when she wakes up," he said. "But I think I'll do some tests just to make sure. She's been through a lot. I'm sure the shock of it has had a great impact on her."

Shalimar slowly opened her eyes and tried to focus them. She looked around to find she wasn't in the lab like she was last time but in her own bedroom. She looked around the cleaned room and down at her own body. She was lying under her covers and wearing her favorite sleep clothes, blue cotton pants and a matching tank top. She saw flowers on her end tables and chairs on either side of her bed. She felt relived when she noticed she was no longer strapped down.

"At least I can come and go as I please," she thought.

She pushed the covers off her and sat up, letting her feet hang over the bed. She noticed her slippers and her shoes right beside the bed and she slipped on her sneakers. She chose them over the slippers so she could be wearing something that made her feel powerful. She stood up and noticed most of if not all of her pain was gone. She only felt a little ache from the way she'd been sleeping on her side.

As she walked around and examined her room she noticed a sweatshirt hanging over the door to her bathroom. It caught her attention so she walked over and picked it up, instantly recognizing the scent that covered it. It was Emma. This was Emma's sweater.

"Emma?" she instinctively called out. She looked around the room for any sign of the psionic entering.

She set the sweater back down and walked over to her door. "I couldn't have possibly dreamed all of that could I?" she wondered. But she knew she'd been so out of it barely felt real. She was too uncertain to draw any conclusions at this time. She reached out to turn the doorknob and just as she did saw she found her door opening.

"Hey, Shal, I thought I heard you call," Emma said with a broad smile that filed the ferals heart with pure joy. She walked into the room and Shalimar smiled back at her as if she hadn't seen her in ages.

"Emma!" She sounded so relived and threw her arms around her. She pulled her as close as she could until she felt the psionic grunt at her strength. She released her hold and looked at the shocked woman before her but quickly pulled her back into the embrace once more.

"It's nice to see you too, Shal," Emma said.

When she finally let go of the psionic Shalimar looked into her twinkly eyes and felt like she was finally home again. She took Emma's hands in her own and smiled at her with delight, never letting it fade.

"I guess you're feeling better," Emma assumed.

"Much."

Shalimar smiled knowing the reason for it was her. Emma smiled back almost as if to say she understood the ferals feelings.

"I thought you were dead?" Shalimar questioned.

"I was. So were you."

"Then how? How are you here?"

"When you died I got an idea. I used my energy to help you, to help your body and mind ease the tension and be able to pull through. It kinda drained me though."

"And you died. I felt it."

Shalimar looked sadly at the psionic but then smiled with relief.

"You're alive now."

"Yes. The guys were there to help me thankfully."

"But you saved me. After what I'd done to you, you still…" Shalimar trailed off as she realized what the woman had done. "You died for me."

"I couldn't just let you die could I?"

"I'd hope not. I'd have done the same for you."

"I know," Emma said with a smile.

"Thank you."

Emma led them over to the bed and Shalimar sat down with a relieved sigh. Emma turned to walk away but Shalimar held her hand tighter and pulled her back towards her. Emma stood before the sitting feral and smiled down at her. Having the psionic stand so close to her excited Shalimar beyond belief.

"Don't go too far," Shalimar instructed.

"I'm going to get your medicine out of the bathroom cabinet. I'll be right back." Emma leaned in and kissed the ferals forehead softly. She turned and Shalimar reluctantly let her hand slide from her own to release her hold on the psionic. Emma walked into the joining bathroom and soon enough walked back out to rejoin the feral.

"Why don't you lie down?" Emma suggested.

Shalimar smiled and followed the psionics instructions. She inched herself back until she was fully on the bed and rested her head back on the soft pillow. Emma pulled up the chair next to the bed and reached for the ferals arm.

"What are you doing?" Shalimar asked when she saw Emma raise the needle.

"Giving you your medicine. It's a shot. It'll keep you from having any panic attacks."

Emma's smiled eased the feral and she began to prep her arm. Shalimar kept her eyes glued to the beautiful woman. She admired her as she worked, running her eyes over her hair and her perfect skin, both so silky it made you want to pet her. She didn't think she even needed the medicine with Emma there touching her. She'd never felt anything so lovely or delicate as her touch.

When she'd finished her task Emma set the needle back into its case and looked to Shalimar, almost batting her long lashes at her.

"That's it," she informed with a smile.

"That's it?" Shalimar asked in disbelief. She hadn't even felt a thing. She'd been far too concentrated on Emma to notice anything else going on around her. "Ya know last time I got a balloon and a lollipop," she reminded and grinned at Emma.

Emma smiled and gestured with her eyes to the closet in the far corner of the room. Shalimar followed the psionics gaze with her own and noticed the balloons tied to the door handle. She smiled and turned her eyes back to meet with the psionics.

"Thanks."

"Anything for you."

Emma stood up and Shalimar suddenly felt doubt entering into her paradise of feelings. She tried to ignore it but knew it would have to be addressed sooner or later.

"Emma, I think we should talk." She already had a headache but wanted to clear any unsettling air with Emma as soon as possible. She didn't want anything that had already happened between them to become any worse.

"We don't have to talk now, Shal."

"Yes we do."

Shalimar reached out and took Emma's wrist. She gently eased her hold off her when she remembered she was trying to improve things between them. Emma sighed and walked around to the edge of the bed.

"Please sit down," Shalimar pleaded.

Emma climbed into bed next to the feral and leaned back against the wall. Shalimar sat herself up and did the same. She paused for a moment, then inched herself closer so they were up against one another and held the psionics hands once more. She looked deep into her ice blue eyes and waited until she had her full attention. There were so many things she wanted to say to her. She wanted to apologize for the way she acted. She wanted to try and explain how she didn't mean for any of those things to ever happen. She wanted to explain why she'd said the things she had. As she thought about it she began to realize it was almost too much for even her to understand so how could she possibly make the psionic understand? She searched for the right words to say but found herself coming up blank.

As Emma sat closely beside the feral she tried to keep herself steady and not let Shalimar's uneasiness get to her. She could feel her uncertainty radiating off her like a heat lamp and tried to ignore it as best she could.

"I…" Shalimar tried to begin to explain herself but wasn't sure of what to say that would make it right. How could she make the psionic know why she acted the way she did? She sighed as if she was trying to calm herself but knew the real reason was frustration with herself.

"I…" she tried again but came up blank once more. She took a deep breath and finally blurted it out, "I love you, Emma." She couldn't think of anything else to say. She'd never said those words before, not like that. She never said them so heart felt and deeply. She'd never meant it before as much as she did now. She knew she'd never really loved before Emma.

After a moment of silence passed Shalimar turned her gaze from the psionics. She half expected her to say something in return but she just sat there silently. Shalimar looked back to her as if to try and read her facial expression. Emma just sat there as if she was in deep thought.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted," Shalimar finally added. "I know I can never make up for the way I treated you. You deserve so much better than that."

Emma remained silent for a few minutes, repeating the ferals words in her head.

"I forgive you, Shal. I know it wasn't in your control." She paused for a moment wondering if she should continue. "But you felt those things didn't you?" she lowered her voice. "You hated me."

Shalimar sighed and tried not to look away. "Yes."

Emma looked somewhat shocked at the ferals admission.

"I hated you. In a way that is. I hated you because I hated myself. I hated myself for not telling you how I felt. I realize that now. And I hated you for not being with me even though I never tried to claim you. All those times we'd cuddle or kiss, even when you were with someone else, I wanted you to be my own. I hated the fact you weren't and I blamed you for it. I'm sorry."

"No, it's my fault too, Shal."

Shalimar felt Emma grip her hands harder and looked to her face to see regret dancing in her clear, blue eyes.

"I don't know why we've acted the way we have but it's not the fault of just one of us. I should've told you how I felt too and I didn't. I think when we almost kissed the other day it confused you more than it should have and I'm at fault for that too. We've never had any kind of serious kiss like that was going to be."

Shalimar nodded in agreement. Of all the cuddling and gentle kissing they'd done they knew it was all in fun and excitement, never was it an expression of romantic love.

"And how do you feel?"

Emma furled her brow at the ferals question. Shalimar flashed her wondrous smile and inquired again, "You said you should have told me how you felt. How do you feel?"

"I love you."

Shalimar starred into the psionics eyes almost feeling faint. She felt her whole world come suddenly together at Emma's sweet confession. She leant herself as close to her face as she could, feeling her cheeks burn, and brushed her lips along the psionics for a moment before taking them with her own in a passionate kiss. She knew she'd never loved, never kissed, never lived before this woman. She knew she never could without her either. She kissed her as deeply as she could until she could almost feel Emma's soul react to her tongue.

When their kiss finally ended Shalimar smiled her approval at the psionic.

"I'm definitely feeling much better."

She quickly kissed her once more.

"Except for this killer headache, damn."

"Why don't you lie back down?"

"Only if you'll join me."

Shalimar grinned an invitation at the psionic who happily slid herself down and draped herself across the ferals chest to pull her close. She reached out and brought the ferals hands over to her face. Emma gently kissed the nearly healed nail bites on her palms and traced her tongue over them lightly.

Shalimar smiled and looked at the flowers beside her. She turned back to look at Emma.

"I love my flowers," she said with a smile. "No thorns."

"Nope," Emma agreed. "Just love and beauty."

"And uh, what about that wine?"

Emma blushed and looked up to eye the bottle of wine she'd brought in earlier.

"Am I supposed to drink that?"

"Well, it's for both of us."

"Oh really? You're gonna drink that with me?"

"Well, I thought your health was cause for a celebration."

"That's not all we need to celebrate," Shalimar said with a grin.

Shalimar took Emma's arm and trailed her fingers down the soft, smooth skin. Her beautiful features tensed up in a frown at seeing the bruises still on her arms. She felt the painful string as she realized they were from her. She pulled Emma's arms towards her and gently kissed each of her bruises as if to cure them. Emma sighed at Shalimar's gesture and the feral moved out from under her body and braced herself atop the psionic. Emma reached up and stoked the ferals face with her right hand and wrapped her left around her back to rub her neck. Shalimar looked down at the small bruises still remaining, though almost gone, on Emma's neck. She slowly bent her head and began to kiss them softly, allowing her tongue to sooth the injured flesh. She finally pulled herself back and looked deep into Emma's eyes like sparkling water.

"I guess I have a lot to make up for."

Shalimar smiled and lowered her mouth to the psionics awaiting lips. In a kiss like that they were fuller and softer than she ever could have imagined. She'd have never thought anything could taste as sweet if Emma hadn't proved her wrong. Her scent was beyond alluring. Her touch was above amazing. The feel of her was so electric Shalimar couldn't believe it.

"I'm sure you'll find a way."

Shalimar's hands trailed their way down the psionics body and Emma melted into them. She felt the tickle of the ferals long, blonde hair as she bent her head to kiss her stomach. Emma reached down and lifted the bottom of her v necked shirt up slightly to show she offered no protest. Her head was spinning from the romantic excitement to the point where she felt she might burst. Her whole body trembled at the intensity she felt from Shalimar's kisses. Any pain she might have had quickly dissipated and was replaced by incredible desire.

Shalimar's mouth worked its way across Emma's soft stomach as she felt she couldn't taste enough of her no matter how hard she tried. She brought her head back across her belly, pausing to lick her naval. She circled the psionics naval with her tongue, gently taking her jeweled ring between her teeth and playing with it with her tongue. The sensation fueled the psionics desires tenfold and she reached down to pull her shirt up over her head and throw it aside. She felt Shalimar grin against her and she reached her hands down to the ferals hips and tugged her shirt off as well.

Shalimar quickly sat up so she could remove her pants and shoes and throw them aside. She straddled her naked body above Emma's and continued on her previous task. She trailed her tongue up her sides and licked every rib through Emma's soft skin. She wanted to take as much time as she could to enjoy the beautiful woman before her and Emma offered no protests. Emma shut her eyes tight at the pleasure Shalimar produced with just a simple touch. Her entire body never felt so alive or so excited as when the ferals hands and mouth roamed free over it. She trembled with every touch as she could feel her body thanking her for finally surrendering herself to the feral.

When she finally opened her eyes all Emma saw was her bra being tossed aside. She soon felt the moistness of Shalimar's tongue caressing her breasts. Her teasing strokes were almost enough to drive the psionic over the edge. As Shalimar continued Emma reached out to take the ferals breasts in her own hands. Shalimar smiled against the psionic and licked her way back up her neck and across her chin. She let her whole body drop down onto Emma's as their lips met again. The feel of their skin colliding was so incredible neither one of them could believe it. Emma moaned among gaps for breaths as the feral kept her mouth securely pressed to her own. She ran her hands down the ferals back softly then performed the same task again with her nails. She stopped when she reached the ferals neck and let her fingers play at the base.

Shalimar moved herself over the psionics body, tasting her every now and then. Emma reached out to keep her hands on the feral and searched her body as best she could. She wanted to tell the feral how deeply she loved her but let her gentle caresses say it instead. Shalimar wanted to tell the psionic how sorry she was for mistreating her. Wanted to tell her how she worshiped her like a goddess and loved her more than anyone but let her tongue do the talking to say all the things she couldn't find the words to express.

When she finally returned to Emma's mouth once again the psionic wrapped her arms tight around the ferals back to pull her into a kiss that seemed to last forever. When they'd expelled all the energy they had Shalimar rolled herself over to lie beside the psionic. She pulled Emma's sweaty body close to her own and cradled her in her arms. She shifted her head to look into the satisfied eyes of her lover.

"I love you," she informed though she knew after their display there was no need for the words. If anything, if felt like such an understatement.

"I love you too," Emma said.

"I know, but you still owe me a lollipop."

Emma smiled and kissed the feral again before resting her head on her shoulder and falling asleep.


	17. Dreams Do Come True

"So how have things been going for you two?" Adam asked from across the lab.

"Good," Emma answered. She smiled and walked over beside him at his computer. "We're both sane and feeling much better now."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it, but you know you did disobey my orders. Twice. You came in here to assist Shalimar when I asked you not to and then you connected yourself with her."

"I know but it worked didn't it?"

"Well, thanks to Jesse and Brennan being able to save you it did."

"And you."

Emma smiled and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad you were able to help her get through that, Emma. While I was observing Shalimar I noticed how she seemed to react whenever I mentioned you. I thought you might be the key to reaching her and it looks like you were. Where is Shalimar by the way?"

Emma grinned at his question and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Um, she couldn't really get up this morning."

Her smile widened as she looked over to him. He smiled back at her look informing him that it meant something good for a change.

Shalimar opened her eyes noticing she was in bed. She lie on her stomach with her legs and arms sprawled out over the entire mattress. Her face was smushed against the pillow and the mattress and her hair was quite a mess. She lifted her head from the pillow and turned herself over, stretching as she did so. She looked to the floor to notice her underwear still thrown there and an empty bottle of wine lying across them. She placed her hand on her forehead at the throbbing she felt underneath. She groaned with discomfort and looked up upon hearing the bedroom door open. She pulled her sheet up to the top of her breast as to provide her some more privacy as she was still naked under the covers.

"Hey, Shal, guess what?" Emma asked happily as she entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed.

Shalimar groaned and sat herself up more before turning to look at the smiling psionic.

"What, hangovers really do come true?"

"No," Emma answered in a smile. "I've got two of you favorite friends here that always cheer you up."

"Ben and jerry?" Shalimar smiled.

"No," Emma said as she turned to the doorway and smiled. "Brennan and Jesse."

"I guess that'll hafta do."

Brennan and Jesse smiled as they made their way into the room to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Morning, Shal," Brennan greeted. "Brought ya some flowers." He smiled and help up the medium sized vase filled with beautiful, red roses.

"Thanks, Brennan."

"No prob.," he answered. "I'll leave 'em on the dresser for ya." Brennan placed the vase on her dresser so she could have a good view of it. "So how ya feelin'?"

"Better," Shalimar answered. "But I still got this killer headache."

"Somehow I don't think that's from your illness," Brennan joked and gestured with his eyes to the empty wine bottle on the floor and then to the other on the table. Shalimar smiled as she knew he was probably right.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Jesse added. "And not crazy anymore."

"Me too," she agreed. "And how are you feeling?"

"Good but did anyone ever tell you you kick like a mule?" he asked and touched his face which still bore a large bruise from the feral.

"Sorry about that."

"It's ok I'm just happy to have ya back."

"Thanks."

"So here's where you all ran off to," Adam said upon entering the bedroom. He made his way over to Shalimar's bedside and smiled down at her. "So how's my favorite feral doing this morning?" he asked and rubbed her shoulder.

"Better, thanks."

"Did you sleep ok?"

Shalimar smiled over to Emma who offered the same sexy smile back. Shalimar turned her gaze back to meet with Adam's.

"Definitely," she answered.

"Good. Glad to see you're over that sleep disorder and everything that came with it. Well, I have a lot of work to do today but I briefed Emma on all the important things you'll need to watch for but I have a good feeling about you. Both of you." He smiled and leaned down to kiss Shalimar's forehead. "I'll be in the lab if you need me. I'll leave you alone to enjoy your morning." He walked over to the door, gripping Emma's shoulder as he walked past her, and showed himself out.

Brennan and Jess made their way to each side of the ferals bed and leaned down to kiss her softly on the cheek.

"Thanks for looking out for me, guys."

"Always," Jesse reassured.

"See ya later, Shal."

Brennan and Jesse smiled and winked at Emma as they exited the room. Emma turned and closed the door behind them.

"Now that they're gone," Emma began and plopped herself down on the bed beside the feral. "We can be alone." She grinned wickedly at Shalimar and placed a wet kiss on her lips.

Shalimar laughed and grinned back at the psionic, allowing herself to become aroused by Emma's desire.

"What would I ever do without you?" she asked and kissed the psionics neck.

Emma pretended to think about the question.

"Um, die," she answered in a laugh.

Shalimar made a face as if to say she was offended by the psionics answer.

"Either that or be crazy," Emma added.

Shalimar grinned and continued kissing her way across the psionics upper body which was nicely exposed by her purple tank top.

"Sometimes I like it when you drive me crazy," Shalimar growled.

Emma lifted the covers to slide herself underneath. She lowered herself and Shalimar until she was lying in the ferals arms. She reached up and pushed Shalimar's hair aside and lowered her head against her soft breasts. She reached up to drape her arm across her chest and stroked her shoulder gently.

"So what are we gonna do today?" Emma asked.

"Hmmm…anything that doesn't involve leaving this bed or your arms."

"That doesn't leave too many options." Emma smiled and turned her head up to Shalimar's.

"I know." Shalimar grinned and turned her eyes to meet with Emma's welcoming pools of blue. She took the psionics lips in her own once more and kissed her deeply. "But it leaves all the best ones." She kissed the psionic again and slowly sat herself up. "And I have a few ideas of what we can do today." She reached for the remote on the nightstand beside their bed and handed it to Emma. "Isn't The L Word on?"

Emma grinned as if to show disbelief but took the remote from the ferals grip.

"Shalimar wants to watch The L Word? I thought you said it pissed you off and stunk?"

"I said sucked," the feral quickly corrected. "And I didn't say that."

Shalimar pulled the psionic into a close hug. Emma laughed and turned on the TV, flipping around the channels.

"I guess it's not on after all," Emma informed shortly after.

"Aw, that's too bad," Shalimar said trying not to sound too sarcastic.

Emma sneered lightly and got off the bed. She walked over to the closet and removed a disc from a case before making her way over to the television.

"I guess we'll just have to put in one of the DVD's," Emma informed as she set the disc into the DVD player and made her way back to the bed.

"Oh, goodie."

Shalimar's sarcasm was apparent but she just smiled as the psionic rejoined her welcoming arms.

"By the way," Emma began. "I almost forgot. I have something else for you." She lifted her hand and rested her elbow on the ferals chest, smiling as she displayed the red heart shaped lollipop.

"Thank you," Shalimar said with a smile. She took the pop from the psionics hands and placed a thank you kiss upon her soft lips.

"When this DVD is over it'll be just in time for you to put on Cleopatra 2525 so you can get your action fix," Emma said and kissed the feral once more.

"Why wait?" Shalimar leaned back to the nightstand and removed the pack of playing cards. She grinned playfully as her eyes returned to the psionics. "Ya know we never did finish our game of strip poker." She waved the pack of cards and raised her eyebrows as if to taunt the psionic into playing.

"Shal, you're already naked," Emma said with a wide smile as she looked down at the topless feral who'd let the sheet that covered her chest fall long ago.

"Not that kind of strip poker, Emma, this is my kind. It's special. We don't play for clothes we play for um, certain favors."

"Oh really?" Emma asked and began to disrobe herself.

"Oh yeah."

Shalimar removed the cards and began to shuffle them. Emma tossed her pants and socks aside. She quickly pulled off her tank top and threw it down as well.

"In my game there are no losers."

"I bet." Emma grinned knowing she was going to like this game very much and felt her body pulse with anticipation. "But ya know, you did lose the last game. If you play like that again I think I'll be um, winning a lot more than you in this one too." Emma grinned and removed her bra, sensually letting it slide off her fingertips to pool on the floor.

"Don't count on it, hun," Shalimar said as she began to deal the cards. "I was letting you win last time."

"Yeah right," Emma doubted. "In your dreams."

The End

That's the final chapter, folks, to wrap it all up…I had another ending, two actually, for this story (which made it go on for a few more chapters and be much darker) but it conflicts with another story which is similar to this one so I decided against it. Once the other story is finished I will post it on here as well. Thanks again to the following people for the nice reviews: all-slash, huntress2004, Billy Rose, gelf, Daryl, redwolf, Joelle, Snooglez, shy grl, Mxfan214, heather, chikis, ghostferal, Lilian, EmmaShalforever, FinalNight hope you all liked the story.


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